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Revealing clothing in women

1. Introduction

Sex appeal is a prominent theme in women’s fashion today, as people are gravitating to increasingly provocative and skimpy clothing. The ratio of fabric to skin has shrunk dramatically as some women now wear revealing clothes which show off their bodies sometimes to the point that they are nearly nude.

The styles and fashions point to a near total abandonment of modesty, as modesty, which is a virtue, is seen as being out of date.

2. Types of Revealing Clothes

 “The one who is looking at the scene is affected by the scene.” – His Holiness Dr. Athavale

Some women enjoy wearing daring clothes. There is an entire gamut of reasons that trigger the compulsion towards putting their bodies on display. It seems like they are more focused on finding ways to uncover their bodies with the clothing they wear. The variety in scanty ensembles are given in the slide show below.

(Editor’s note: It is outside the scope of SSRF to display photos of this nature, but is doing so in this article only to raise awareness in society.)

3. Impact on others

What exactly happens to people who are in the vicinity of a provocatively dressed woman?

  • Women dressed in such a manner are seen as more promiscuous. A man will be attracted to her body and not really to who she is as a human being.
  • Men may see revealing clothing as advertising a greater interest in sex on the part of women who wear revealing clothes.
  • Women risk losing respect with revealing clothing as some people assess her levels of promiscuity based on what a woman wears.
 God means Bliss – wherein there is no sorrow at all.” – H.H. Dr. Athavale
  • Some people understand that appearance is a form of communication. People may judge the person by how the person looks and what the person wears. Thus the clothing communicates who and what one is to others. Just as we recognise a person is a soldier when he wears a military uniform; or a nurse when she is in her hospital attire, likewise some men judge a woman based on what she wears and revealing clothing makes them see her as a loose woman who is inviting attention.
  • In general, men get sexually aroused by the visual stimulation provided by the woman in revealing clothing. This in turn increases sexual desire in both men and women.
“What people want is happiness, but Bliss is a far more superlative happiness. It depends on what we want – permanent happiness which is Bliss or happiness and its consequent sorrow? – H.H.Dr. Athavale

4. Some comments by men related to women who wear revealing clothes

  • Some men claim they would respect a woman more if she had a more reserved clothing style.
  • Those women drawing attention to their physical characteristics are seen to possess a different kind of mind, one lacking in self-control and moral responsibility.
  • Some men complain that there is no intrigue left as there is nothing left to uncover and nothing is left to the imagination. Novelty is lost. This sometimes leads to a decrease in sexual desire in these men.
 “Real Bliss is experienced through self-restraint.” – H.H. Dr. Athavale
  • At a fundamental level, men easily separate a sexual interest from commitment to a relationship and behave accordingly with the woman.
  • If their female partners are dressing to flirt with other men, then men feel they are being manipulated in a relationship and they also feel disrespected.

5. Impact on the wearer

5.1 Physical dangers of dressing revealingly

 “It is like putting something valuable on the street and walking away. Then when someone steals it, we get angry.” – H.H.Dr. Athavale

A third of Britons, for example, believe a woman who acts flirtatiously is partially or completely to blame for being raped, according to a new study. More than a quarter also believe a woman is at least partly responsible for being raped if she wears sexy or revealing clothing, the study found. – Source: Daily mail, UK

 “When something is on display in the shop, a person will feel like getting it. Now it is available on the streets.” – H.H.Dr. Athavale

Every 2 minutes, another American is sexually assaulted. There is an average of 237,868 victims (age 12 or older) of sexual assaults each year. 44% of victims are under the age of 18, 80% are under age the age of 30, Rape has increased by 25% in recent years. – Source: RAINN, USA

Revealin women's clothes SwedenSweden has the highest rate of rape in Europe, with the UN reporting 69 rape cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2011. A 2010 Amnesty report said: “In Sweden, according to official crime statistics, the number of reported rapes has quadrupled during the past 20 years.” – Source: International Business Times
So, whatever we look at, has an impact on us. If we see a place of worship of God, we will have good or pious thoughts. But if we see something negative, then our mind will be affected negatively. How we behave in public impacts us as well as others.– H.H. Dr. Athavale

women protest

Some women think that the way they dress has no impact in attracting the attention of those men who are tamasik by nature. In reality however, it is rather dangerous for a woman to wear revealing clothes. Please see the below table.

Place where the woman is

Chances of being raped if a woman is in revealing clothes

On a street in a city

30%

In nature alone

50%

In a room alone with a man

70%

5.2 At a psychological level

“Women who dress like that, do it to get attention. They fail to realise that when one displays the body, at best they will get attention for 10-15 years and then after that they will be older and less desirable. If one writes something good (mind level), it will be interesting to people maybe for some 40-50 years. If one does some very important research or makes a discovery (intellect level), people might remember one for centuries. The higher the spiritual level, the less desire for attention. But although the spiritually evolved do not desire attention, people remember them for thousands of years.” – H.H. Dr. Athavale

  • A woman begins to feel angry that she is being viewed as an object. (When society focuses on ‘body image’, then the body is no longer seen as being subjectively experienced, but rather as an object)

  • She may be offended that she is seen as being loose and immoral.
  • She wants attention but is getting the wrong kind of attention.
“One may look good and show it off,  but after one gets older, no one will look at one anymore. Then depression sets in. Too much attention is given to the body which will inevitably become old and be destroyed. Contrary to this, when a spiritually evolved person ages and later dies, people still remember that person.” – H.H.Dr. Athavale

  • Her self-worth is as per her outward and not inward beauty.

  • So while she may look alluring on the outside, she feels a hollow emptiness inside.

  • Her thought process tends to be driven by selfish motives and immaturity.

  • Fear may be generated in women as they may sense that they could be sexually assaulted.

  • Girls who do not look good, feel bad that they cannot display their body in revealing clothes and then go into depression.

“People who are selfish, have only their needs or wants in mind and the ‘self’ is their center of attention. Contrary to this, seekers of God have God as their center of attention and consequently acquire protection from God. That is why we need to do regular spiritual practice as per the 6 basic principles, to progress spiritually and naturally move away from selfishness and other practices which are spiritually harmful for us and society.” – H.H. Dr. Athavale

5.3. At a spiritual level

  • Body awareness of a woman grows when actually the reverse is expected, as in Spirituality one aspires towards ‘going beyond the body’ to be able to experience more Bliss.
  • Due to the way she dresses, a Mayavi (illusionary) energy surrounds her and attracts black (negative) energy towards her.
  • Negative energies enhance sexual thoughts and feelings sometimes to a point that they become obsessive.
  • Some negative energies with unfulfilled sexual desires may try to sexually assault her at a subtle level.
  • A negative energy could overpower a man who is slightly attracted to her and possess him and use his body to experience sexual gratification with her, or worse still, to sexually assault her at a physical level.
  • She attracts negative energies towards her who use her body to distract men from purposeful and higher thoughts – thus leading to the decay of their thought process which, if left unchecked, could lead to even depravity, which can in turn lead to spiritual decline.
 As humans created by God, we need to ask ourselves “Would God like His children to behave like this?” Whatever takes us to God is good and what takes us away from God is not good. – H.H. Dr. Athavale
  • Wearing revealing clothes increases raja-tama in the wearer and the environment.
  • The ego of the woman wearing revealing clothes can increase due to a lot of attention to herself.
Negative energy impact on Negative energy impact in %

Duration (after)

Ego increase in %

Sin generated in %
Woman wearing revealing clothes

5

5 hrs

2

5*
Onlookers

1

1hr

–

Obstacle to spiritual practice

* This is for only one incident. If one continues to wear revealing clothes, the sins accumulate.

6. Summary

  • It is advisable to refrain from wearing revealing clothing.
  • Negative energies get attracted to the woman who wears revealing clothing and affects her and the environment adversely.
  • To be able to decipher right from wrong and if something or someone is emitting pleasant or distressing vibrations, spiritual practice is needed. When one does spiritual practice as per the 6 basic principles, one will be able to choose a lifestyle devoid of negative energy influences and lead a sattvik (positive) life.

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