Abstract

The main objective of my research was to find out whether the wide belief in common
Bangladeshis regarding western dressed women as unethical and vulgar has any role in the
occurrence of sexual harassment. At the same time I wanted to find out why there is such
adverse attitude in common mass against such women, especially in our lower and middle
class society. In our wider population, western dressed women are considered as sex objects
displaying their sexuality openly and therefore harassing such women are justified. For that
reason many think that if women stop wearing western outfits, sexual harassment will
decline. My study revealed that such idea is wrong and harassers use this as an excuse to
escape justice. The low level of literacy and education quality is one of the most important
reasons for such attitude. As our populace has not developed respect for others freedom and
subtle intellectuality since their childhood, they are easily influenced by conservative ideas
about woman and uneasiness about women freedom make them more vicious. Our social,
moral and common ideas about religion are typically hostile against women empowerment.
As women neither constituted such ideas nor take part in different sphere of life from the very
beginning, they were not practically powerless about their own future. Recent improvement
in women literacy and gradual empowerment increased their power but their presence is not
enough. My study reveals that the most effective way to resolve this problem is more literacy
and women empowerment. Though media can play its part to create awareness and ensuring
justice in individual cases, the long run solution need equal participation of woman in all
sectors of life. The study completely supports such long term solutions as the only effective
measures which completely support my hypothesis.