My Take | Standing up for the freedom to dress

Calling for a ban on provocative attire has always evoked strong reactions from those who enjoy wearing such clothes. But warnings against revealing clothes have been heard on too many occasions recently, with some even blaming instances of sexual violence on such behaviour.

This has evoked strong reactions from different groups of rights activists, who say such claims end up putting the blame on victims for such attacks.

A Toronto police officer set off a worldwide reaction in 2011, when he advised women "not to dress like sluts" for their own safety.

In cities across the world, including Hong Kong, protesters held "slut walks" in defiance and slammed what they said was explaining or excusing rape by referring to any aspect of a woman's appearance.

Maybe fearing such a mass reaction, one lawmaker in the Indian city of Mumbai played it rather safe. Or so she thought.

She targeted her ire towards mannequins. These plastic models with lacey bras and panties are planting "impure thoughts" among Indian youth and leading to an increase in sexual violence in the country, Ritu Tawade, a local lawmaker of the right wing Hindu party BJP declared earlier this year.

This was invariably followed by howls of protests in the media but no massive protest rallies across the world were held against her. Not even by mannequins.