Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Skimpier and skimpier As the summer has gotten hotter, Mary's classroom attire has gotten skimpier and skimpier. What started with halter tops and miniskirts has quickly escalated into bikini tops and thong-revealing short shorts. While this has made her extremely popular with the men in the class (who flirt and lavish attention on her), the women in the class are unimpressed with her wardrobe and make rude comments behind her back before she comes to class. During a discussion on sexual assault, a woman in the class makes the comment, "If the girl dresses like a prostitute, she gets what she deserves." Mary does a slow turn and says indignantly, "You better not be talking about me." When should I have intervened? How?, What should I say to Mary? What should I say to the student who made the comment, and to the rest of the class? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) Most high schools have a dress code that prevents students from wearing revealing clothes in the first place. This situation seems like one that would happen more in a college setting. First, I would review what the dress code dictates, if the student is wearing something that is against dress code I would address it outside of classroom time. If it is not against the dress code then there is nothing for you to do. To address the rest of this case, the student who made the comment "If the girl dresses like a prostitute, she gets what she deserves," is completely inappropriate and encourages rape culture. This should have definitely been addressed during the conversation.