Studies Show That Predators Target Women Based on One Thing

The myth we’ve been told our whole lives

If you’ve ever been told “don’t wear that dress,” “cover up,” or “you’re asking for trouble,” you already know the script society hands women. For decades, the idea has been drilled into us: what you wear determines your risk.

But here’s the truth — it doesn’t.

Recent studies and survivor stories reveal something far more unsettling. Attackers aren’t scanning the crowd looking for the shortest skirt. They’re looking for one thing: opportunity.

And that shift in perspective changes everything about how we understand safety.

A story that reveals the hidden pattern

Federal attorney Adeline Dimond was walking her dog when two men started catcalling her. She’s 54, not a teenager, not “dressed provocatively,” and yet she was still targeted.

She remembered what she was taught at sixteen: clutch your keys between your fingers, just in case you have to fight back. That ritual — passed down to almost every woman — is supposed to keep us safe. But Dimond’s rage that day wasn’t just about the harassment. It was about the absurdity of still knowing, at her age, exactly how to gouge someone’s eyes out.

Her story cracks open the real question: if it’s not about clothes, what is it about?

What predators actually look for

Research on criminal behavior shows striking similarities in how attackers choose their victims. Across multiple studies, predators consistently looked for:

Isolation — someone walking alone, especially in quiet or poorly lit areas.

Distraction — people wearing headphones, staring at phones, or appearing unaware.

Predictability — the same route at the same time every day.

Perceived vulnerability — intoxication, hesitation, or signs of being caught off guard.

Notice what’s missing from that list? Outfits. Makeup. Attractiveness. None of it matters as much as we’ve been told.

That’s the shocking truth: predators aren’t targeting women for what they wear — they’re targeting them for when and how they appear vulnerable.

Why this matters more than you think

It’s not just about correcting a myth. Believing the “clothes cause attacks” lie does two damaging things:

1. It blames women. The responsibility gets pushed onto the victim’s fashion choices instead of the predator’s behavior.

2. It distracts us from real prevention. If we think outfits are the problem, we overlook the actual patterns predators exploit.

This is why Dimond’s rage resonates: it’s not about what she wore, but about how our culture teaches women survival tricks instead of teaching men control and accountability.

The keys and pepper spray dilemma

Yes, holding keys between your fingers or carrying pepper spray can help in emergencies. But let’s be honest: they’re last-resort options. They don’t stop predators from choosing you in the first place.

What does make a difference? Adjusting the environment. Varying routines. Staying visible. And most importantly, building communities where harassment isn’t tolerated.

Because safety shouldn’t just be about women preparing for battle every time they leave the house.

What you can actually do (and what society must do)

Here are practical, research-backed habits that lower risk:

Change up walking or jogging routes.

Lower headphone volume to stay alert.

Stick to well-lit or populated areas when possible.

Walk with others when you can.

Report harassment — even “minor” incidents — so patterns are recorded.

But let’s be clear: this isn’t just on women.

Communities need better lighting, stronger bystander intervention, and real education that teaches boys respect instead of entitlement. Safety doesn’t come from clutching keys. It comes from cultural shifts that stop normalizing harassment in the first place.

The bigger truth we can’t ignore

Here’s the part that still makes people uncomfortable: predators aren’t mythical monsters hiding in bushes. They’re often ordinary men, emboldened by a culture that excuses their behavior.

That’s why these studies matter. They prove what women already know — it was never about the dress. It was always about power, opportunity, and the predator’s choice.

Final takeaway

Next time someone tells you “don’t wear that, it’s dangerous,” remember this: research doesn’t back them up. What really matters is awareness, unpredictability, and community safety.

And if society wants lasting change, we need to stop teaching girls how to survive and start teaching boys not to target in the first place.

Because when predators look for their next victim, the deciding factor isn’t your skirt, your shoes, or your age.

It’s opportunity. And that’s something we can actually change.