STRIPPING WOMEN IN PUBLIC IS BARBARIC

Last month an angry crowd in Nyeri (in Kenya) descended on a woman they claimed was indecently dressed. They stripped her and forced her to walk in the streets. In another incident, touts stripped a woman in Bomet of her miniskirt. Women are being verbally and physically assaulted in public for allegedly dressing indecently and acting immorally. The stripping is supposedly meant to teach them a lesson as well as deter others. While indecent dressing is frowned upon, I believe this is not the way to go. For a long time, I have battled with these questions: what is indecent dressing and what does it constitute? Is there a standard measure on what indecent dressing is? How well should a woman or man dress to be unanimously appreciated? Who determines the amount and size of clothing? Is it the individual, the society or the touts? What is moral dressing? Is stripping women a means of changing their dressing or is it a means of controlling them in a manner that suits the individual persons supposedly offended?  I believe indecent dressing is a relative term subject to several factors such as religion, culture, societal expectations etc.  It is important to note that culture is also relative and what is acceptable in one community could be unacceptable in another, especially in Kenya where we have diverse cultural identities. I also believe dressing changes from time to time and is also dependent on functional considerations. In some situations, the minimum amount of clothing may be socially acceptable, while in others much more clothing is expected but again, who determines what is appropriate? The issue of indecent dressing centers mostly on women, paving the way for gender and social inequalities. We have seen in our towns men wearing trousers with the waist line way below their buttocks exposing their inner wear but none has been undressed. Is it because it is the fashion trend?  Is it accepted by virtue of their gender or do we as a nation respect men’s rights over women’s? On the other hand, well-to-do women may wear the so-called indecent clothing but they have vehicles and do not come across the “un-dressers” at bus termini. This is clearly a social injustice to the underprivileged women.

I vehemently despise the manner in which women’s rights are being trampled on and no action is being taken to deter these barbaric acts. Where is justice for these women? The Constitution of Kenya article 27(4) explicitly prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on the basis of dress. Article 28 provides to every person inherent dignity and the right to have that dignity respected and protected. Article 29(c-f) provides the right to freedom and security which includes the right not to be subjected to: any form of violence from public or private sources; torture in any manner whether physical or psychological; to corporal punishment and finally not to be treated or punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading manner. Who do we blame for this social malady or, as they call it, indecent dressing? We should put an end to these degrading actions by addressing the root causes with a view of coming up with feasible solutions without infringing on human rights. Dialogue and change of mindsets are essential ingredients in the process.