The chicken or the egg?

Is it a woman's fault for dressing provocatively, or is it a man's fault for sexual aggression?  That's the current debate over what "rape" is. 

Frankly, I think it's both.  "If you are provocatively dressed, drink too much and knowingly (or unknowingly) wander into an eager young man's room, then you have displayed screamingly bad judgment and must bear accountability for what may happen next," writes 'Princeton Mom' Susan Patten in her book, 'Marry Smart: Advice for Finding the One'.  I think she's right.  The outfits some young women wear are glaringly and aggressively seductive.  And for what reason?  Obviously to attract a male.  But the word "may" in the above-quote is also right.  Not all young men will rape a drunk, sexy young woman.

"Be smart about managing your alcohol consumption and your image," Patton continues.  Absolutely.  Remember when we were young, our mothers telling us not to walk alone at night?  Remember their admonishing us not to talk to strangers?  Remember their telling us NEVER to get into a car with a strange man?  There were reasons for these dictums.  Some men can be rapists and child molesters.  As Camille Paglia says, "It is ludicrous to retrain predators.  More conservative jogging gear might dissuade rapists from raping." 

As a teenager, I adhered to the advice of my own mother:  Dress modestly, behave like a lady, have enough "mad money" to get yourself home and be in by curfew.  However, in spite of all that, I was still the victim of sexual assault because.....hey.....some men are rapists.  My choice was to get over it and get on with my life. 

That about covers it.