People are just finding out what 'anti-rape devices' look like and 'love the idea' but have concerns
Topics: Sexual Abuse, Community, Social Media, Reddit
Gerrard Kaonga
Featured Image Credit: Rape-axe
Topics: Sexual Abuse, Community, Social Media, Reddit
Warning: this article mentions rape which some readers may find upsetting.
Some people have admitted to being stunned after realizing what some anti-rape devices look like and how they would be used.
Anti-rape devices are not exactly a new invention, as chastity belts have also previously been used to deter those that prey on women.
However, an anti-rape device that would likely inflict agonizing pain on any would be rapists has caught attention of some social media users.
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RAPEX, later renamed to Rape-aXe, was designed like a female condom and would be inserted into the woman’s vagina.
The device was created by Sonette Ehlers, a South African woman who worked as blood technician with the South African Blood Transfusion Service.
She has said she was inspired to create the device as she would often speak to rape victims during her job and one patient who had been raped had wished she had teeth on her privates to prevent the assault.
Ehlers design was a latex sheath embedded with shafts of sharp, inward-facing barbs.
If an attacker would attempt vaginal rape they would then enter the latex sheath and be snagged by the barbs. This would likely cause excruciating pain to the assaulter.
In addition to this, the condom would remain attached to the male, who would need it to be surgically removed, essentially alerting police and medical personnel of the attempted rape.
Like normal condoms it would also prevent pregnancy and transmissions of sexual transmitted disease.
After seeing images of the Rape-aXe condom on Reddit, many remarked they thought they were a good idea but had concerns and questions.
“I love the idea of rapists getting their d**** lacerated, they deserve that and worse. That said, I would be worried about it pissing off the rapist to the point of turning a rape into a murder.
“I think the issue is that the rapist would probably retaliate or even kill the victim,” added another.
“It’s actually not as good of an idea as it seems at first glance, hence it remained a prototype. The main concern is that it would enrage an attacker and put the victim in even greater jeopardy.
"To everyone saying 'just make the barbs poisonous', remember this device was designed to be freely distributed to any woman who wanted it. And you can’t just hand out poison,” a third wrote.
After revealing the device prototype in 2005 in South Africa, Ehler also addressed some concerns. She said, while nobody can guarantee the outcome of any rape, the device is designed to cause pain to give the victim a chance to fight back or escape.
While many have called for the device to be made available, it has never been marketed to the public and it is unclear whether it will ever be available for purchase.
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org