Keeping with the product week here at SA Rocks I’ve chosen to be fairly out there and controversial with today’s product.
Rape-Axe is a product developed by a South African as an anti-rape female condom. Let’s go to the creators for an explanation of this product:
It is absurd that women and children In this day and age still fall prey to opportunistic sexual predators. When will they be empowered? When will they be heard? Never, it seems! There always appears to be a more important issue to be addressed in legislature.
The tear-filled eyes and extreme vulnerability of one such rape victim is what sparked the design of this modern day invention. The victim looked up at Sonnet Ehlers and said, ‘If only had teeth down there!’ These were the humble beginnings of a device which proves to bring hope to women all over the world – those women who still find themselves with little or no rights at all. Why does the system make these women, these victims, feel like the offenders? In many societies these women are treated like offenders! This must stop! It. in fact, stops here! Rape-aXe is a device which latches itself to the skin of the attacker, causing immense discomfort, allowing the victim to escape. The attacker is ‘branded’ a rapist! Since the attacker will need medical assistance, there is no escaping arrest since medical staff will alert the authorities.
The reason that I chose to write about this product is partially due to the high rape statistics that we have here in SA. But the main reason that I wanted to write about this product is that rape is not a problem local to SA and it is impressive and pleasing to me that there are South Africans who are trying to innovate for the world. Rape is a problem that many deal with daily and the long terms effects are devastating, this is well known. But many people wonder about the preventative measures that can be taken. This is one of them.
There have been substantial and very legitimate objections to the mass production of this product, Wikipedia lists some of them:
It is like we are going back to the days where women were forced to wear chastity belts. It is a terrifying thought that women are being made to adapt to rape by wearing these devices … Women would have to wear this every minute of their lives on the off-chance that they would be raped.
—Lisa Vetten (Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, South Africa)
This is a medieval instrument, based on male-hating notions and fundamentally misunderstands the nature of rape and violence against women in this society.
—Charlene Smith
My opinion is that a long term solution should be provided rather than a temporary “fix” for this problem. Women should not be put in a position where this sort of device is necessary, ever. Yet the problem exists and some would answer Rape-Axe will act as a deterrent. You make up your own mind and let me know what you think.
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