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What can stop women from being raped? Not a change in their dress, according to miniskirt-wearing activists who rallied at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Sunday afternoon.

The rally was held to protest against Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo’s statement on Friday that suggested that women who wore miniskirts in public were prone to being raped.

Rally organizer Faiza Mardzoeki said: “It’s not the fault of what we wear; rapists have a mental disorder.” The activists said they were afraid the statement would lead to a ban on revealing clothing.

“Instead of blaming what women wear, the government is supposed to provide security especially on public transportation,” Faiza added.

Fauzi has apologized for the comments on Friday that prompted a huge public backlash.

“I apologize because my earlier statement was very prone to misinterpretation,” Fauzi said in a news release on Saturday.

“I had no intention whatsoever to harass women [through the statement]. In fact, I strongly condemn the rape cases and believe the perpetrators must be given harsh punishment.”

After a series of attacks on women by public transportation workers, including the gang rape of a woman on her way home from work, Fauzi said that miniskirts were “inviting” to rapists.

“You can imagine, if [a woman] wears a short skirt and sits next to the driver, it could be seen as inviting,” Fauzi said on Friday. “Wear sensible clothes, not ‘inviting’ clothes.”

Nia Dinata, a movie director who took part in the rally, said the apology from the governor was just a political statement to save his image ahead of next year’s gubernatorial election.

“The level of education of men will determine how they respect women, no matter what we wear,” she said.

“A good man who respects his mother must be able to respect other women. I guess Fauzi Bowo doesn’t.”

Pino, a 29-year-old woman who wears a veil every day, says that even the full-covering Muslim outfit would not be enough to protect a woman if there was something really wrong with the morality of a man.

The debate came in the wake of the gang rape of a 27-year-old woman by four men on an angkot last week.

But according to officials, the law outlines ways to lessen the chances of this happening and companies are partly responsible for keeping their female employees safe.

“To prevent the crimes, companies must provide transportation to and from work for female employees working odd hours,” Suhartono, Manpower and Transmigration Ministry spokesman, said in a press releas e .

Suhartono said based on the employment law, employers that hire female workers who travel to or from work between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. must give security guarantees, including providing transportation for them.

The pick-up points for female employees, he said, must be safe and easily accessible, and the vehicles must also be registered with the company.

Deded Sukendar, from Jakarta’s Manpower and Transmigration Office, said companies failing to abide by the law would be found out and members of their management could face criminal prosecution.