STUDY NAME: Antecedents of sexual victimization: factors discriminating victims from nonvictims.
Synovitz LB, Byrne TJ., J Am Coll Health. Jan;46(4):151-8. (1998)
Partial abstract:
The variables found to be related to women’s being sexually victimized were (a) number of different lifetime sexual partners, (b) provocative dress, and (c) alcohol use.
STUDY NAME: An Examination of Date Rape, Victim Dress, and Perceiver Variables Within the Context of Attribution Theory
Workman JE, Freeburg EW., Sex Roles, Volume 41, Numbers 3-4, 261-277 (1995)
This study found in part that the way a woman choose to dress is sometimes taken as a statement about her character including vulnerability, desire and/or willingness to have sex and provocation of males which consequently affects the likelihood of rape, including date rape.
STUDY NAME: The effects of clothing and dyad sex composition on perceptions of sexual intent: Do women and men evaluate these cues differently.
Abbey, A., Cozzarelli, C., McLaughlin, K., & Harnish, R. J. (1987) Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 17, 108–126.
Partial abstract:
A laboratory study was conducted in which subjects viewed a photograph of two students in a classroom. As predicted, male subjects rated female targets as more sexy and seductive than did female subjects. Also as predicted, female targets who wore revealing clothing were rated as more sexy and seductive than those wearing nonrevealing clothing. Female targets were rated higher on sexual traits regardless of the gender of their partner.
The study went on to infer that provocative dress can lead to an increased chance of date or spousal rape in some situations (primarily spousal and/or date rape).
Conclusion
While it is an unpopular view, I think it is safe to say that provocative dress may increase the chance of rape in some situations.
Hey look. Science says women can increase the chance they’ll get raped with their actions. Now if we agree that acting to increase the chance you’ll get raped is stupidity, and people are blameworthy for the predictable consequences of their actions even if they are stupid, then some women who get raped are blameworthy for being morons. What an uncomfortable truth!
