whoa, RAPEX
- Thread starter minxnim
- Start date
KLEINMOND, South Africa, Aug 31 (Reuters) - A South African inventor unveiled a new anti-rape female condom on Wednesday that hooks onto an attacker's penis and aims to cut one of the highest rates of sexual assault in the world.
"Nothing has ever been done to help a woman so that she does not get raped and I thought it was high time," Sonette Ehlers, 57, said of the "rapex", a device worn like a tampon that has sparked controversy in a country used to daily reports of violent crime.
Police statistics show more than 50,000 rapes are reported every year, while experts say the real figure could be four times that as they say most rapes of acquaintances or children are never reported.
Ehlers said the "rapex" hooks onto the rapist's skin, allowing the victim time to escape and helping to identify perpetrators.
"He will obviously be too pre-occupied at this stage," she told reporters in Kleinmond, a small holiday village about 100km (60 miles) east of Cape Town. "I promise you he is going to be too sore. He will go straight to hospital."
The device, made of latex and held firm by shafts of sharp barbs, can only be removed from the man through surgery which will alert hospital staff, and ultimately, the police, she said.
It also reduces the chances of a woman falling pregnant or contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases from the attacker by acting in the same way as a female condom.
South Africa has more people with HIV/AIDS than any other country, with one in nine of its 45 million population infected.
Ehlers, who showed off a prototype on Wednesday, said women had tried it for comfort and it had been tested on a plastic male model but not yet on a live man. Production was planned to start next year.
But the "rapex" has raised fears amongst anti-rape activists that it could escalate violence against women.
"If a victim is wearing such a device it may enrage the attacker further and possibly result in more harm being caused," said Sam Waterhouse, advocacy coordinator for Rape Crisis.
Other critics say the condom is medieval and barbaric -- an accusation Ehlers says should be directed rather at the act of rape.
"This is not about vengeance ... but the deed, that is what I hate," she said.
"Nothing has ever been done to help a woman so that she does not get raped and I thought it was high time," Sonette Ehlers, 57, said of the "rapex", a device worn like a tampon that has sparked controversy in a country used to daily reports of violent crime.
Police statistics show more than 50,000 rapes are reported every year, while experts say the real figure could be four times that as they say most rapes of acquaintances or children are never reported.
Ehlers said the "rapex" hooks onto the rapist's skin, allowing the victim time to escape and helping to identify perpetrators.
"He will obviously be too pre-occupied at this stage," she told reporters in Kleinmond, a small holiday village about 100km (60 miles) east of Cape Town. "I promise you he is going to be too sore. He will go straight to hospital."
The device, made of latex and held firm by shafts of sharp barbs, can only be removed from the man through surgery which will alert hospital staff, and ultimately, the police, she said.
It also reduces the chances of a woman falling pregnant or contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases from the attacker by acting in the same way as a female condom.
South Africa has more people with HIV/AIDS than any other country, with one in nine of its 45 million population infected.
Ehlers, who showed off a prototype on Wednesday, said women had tried it for comfort and it had been tested on a plastic male model but not yet on a live man. Production was planned to start next year.
But the "rapex" has raised fears amongst anti-rape activists that it could escalate violence against women.
"If a victim is wearing such a device it may enrage the attacker further and possibly result in more harm being caused," said Sam Waterhouse, advocacy coordinator for Rape Crisis.
Other critics say the condom is medieval and barbaric -- an accusation Ehlers says should be directed rather at the act of rape.
"This is not about vengeance ... but the deed, that is what I hate," she said.
FalseTodd
Skirt Wizard
But the "rapex" has raised fears amongst anti-rape activists that it could escalate violence against women.
That would be my concern as well
That would be my concern as well
xfer
I JERK OFF TO ARCTOPUS
much like regular female condoms, if this catches on it will most probably be used ten times more often by men (in prisons or the Russian army or whatever) than by women.
man, I remember when dentata were just a dream of Freudians, feminists, and Neal Stephenson.
man, I remember when dentata were just a dream of Freudians, feminists, and Neal Stephenson.
Josh Seipp
Member
Other critics say the condom is medieval and barbaric -- an accusation Ehlers says should be directed rather at the act of rape.
NO SHIT
jesus christ, some people
NO SHIT
jesus christ, some people
xfer
I JERK OFF TO ARCTOPUS
man that's like saying killing people is medieval and barbaric, when that accusation should be directed rather at the iraqis who committed 9/11 with weapons of mass destruction.
xfer
I JERK OFF TO ARCTOPUS
NAD
What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
i was so bored and i was talking to tar (and then not bored) but he showed me a post on bco and i saw my thing crossposted! i almost posted but then i was like wait i dont even have an account here., then i read a bunch of posts and they were like, awful and not funny *at all*.
Josh Seipp
Member
xfer
I JERK OFF TO ARCTOPUS
xfer
I JERK OFF TO ARCTOPUS
xfer
I JERK OFF TO ARCTOPUS
Josh Seipp
Member
NAD
What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
xfer
I JERK OFF TO ARCTOPUS
Helm
Maybe on Luna
I'm very happy about this because I find the idea of walking down the street thinking women around me are using this thing very amusing.
I'd go to girls in bars and say "Are you on rapex? Just asking." then "You here alone? Are you gonna walk to your car later?"
(I'd never do such horrible things)
I'd go to girls in bars and say "Are you on rapex? Just asking." then "You here alone? Are you gonna walk to your car later?"
(I'd never do such horrible things)
azal
love is the answer
