Rules on attire are present in numerous places, including workplaces, for good reason - as a show of respect or as a way to look smart to attract customers. Such rules are not an issue.

However, Mr Benjamin Sim Buke Huang ("Mind how we dress in public"; July 9) has raised this idea of a dress code in the light of a molestation case ("Dentist jailed 6 weeks for molesting woman on MRT"; July 2).

This is victim blaming and is a harmful way of looking at molestation (or similar cases), as it may stop many victims from reporting the perpetrators, for fear that the authorities may distrust their versions of events.

Consequently, more people may get away with such offences.

Implying that a victim of molestation is somehow at fault for dressing in shorts does not address the root of the problem - the various triggers that can motivate an offender to commit such acts.

Victim blaming ignores others' suffering and the need for education.

Rather than subliminally blaming someone for how he or she dresses, we should instead focus on teaching young people to treat one another with respect.

Tay JingYi (Ms)