PHNOM PENH (Cambodia Herald) - Young women who wear miniskirts, especially in Phnom Penh, are responsible for causing rapes and traffic accidents, according to some Cambodians.
Miniskirts have become so common in Phnom Penh that even university students are wearing them, although they sometimes use shirts to cover their thighs when driving motorcycles.
"Wearing miniskirts is not good because it's not a Khmer custom," said 19-year-old Sopheavy.
"It's just those who aren't shy showing off their bodies. Young Khmer people should dress properly by giving up miniskirts, which make men look down on and criticize us.
"Such clothes affect Khmer customs because they reflect traditional European views towards sex and encourage rape."
Another young women called Si Neang agreed. "Sexy dresses are not good or ideal for Cambodian youth because they will make us lose our tradition which is being affected by singers and actresses who wear sexy dresses," she said.
Nareth, a 22-year-old man, said young Cambodian women were being influenced by other countries. "These youth accept other cultures because they wear short dresses," he said. "When young people wear very short dresses, they can cause traffic accidents when drivers look at them."
