South Africa Anti-rape Condom Aims To Stop Attacks

[Mr. Farang]

REUTERS (Yahoo! News)

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 co-ordinator for Rape Crisis.

Other critics say the condom is mediaeval 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.

Link to Story.

[Tywais]

Ouch! First thing I thought of, what if the wife gets upset with hubby. Guess better then the meat cleavor & ducks.

[Crossy]

Ouch!  First thing I thought of, what if the wife gets upset with hubby.  Guess better then the meat cleavor & ducks.

Not quite the same as slipping a can of pepper-spray into your handbag

Ouch, "sorry darling, I forgot to take it out when I got home".....

[britmaveric]

Once its known about I dare say rapists will check for it prior to comitting their crime.

[Crossy]

Once its known about I dare say rapists will check for it prior to comitting their crime.

Very true, I suppose they could put some barbs on the outside to stop it coming out, sort of defeats the objecive really.

At first sight a good idea, think about it a little, not so smart.

[lovejoy]

i think using something that has been around for a long time would work better

A GUN

[Galong]

i think using something that has been around for a long time would work better

A GUN

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Having just chugged my first big bottle of Beer Chang, that one hit the spot... A gun... sweeeeet.

[lovejoy]

i think using something that has been around for a long time would work better

A GUN

Having just chugged my first big bottle of Beer Chang, that one hit the spot... A gun... sweeeeet.

its only 8:20 am here

might have one myself

[Tywais]

Probably illegal in most countries under the heading of "carrying a concealed weapon"

[kat]

I think it's not a bad idea as protection from disease, but unfortunately, one can perform violent rape with other objects.

[lovejoy]

Probably illegal in most countries under the heading of "carrying a concealed weapon"

rape wouldnt be the most legal thing either

[Tywais]

Probably illegal in most countries under the heading of "carrying a concealed weapon"

rape wouldnt be the most legal thing either

You're stating the obvious, I was stating the not so obvious and with tongue in cheek.

[lovejoy]

Probably illegal in most countries under the heading of "carrying a concealed weapon"

rape wouldnt be the most legal thing either

You're stating the obvious, I was stating the not so obvious and with tongue in cheek.

i know ,i just think sex offenders get away with too much

no offence

[Tywais]

Probably illegal in most countries under the heading of "carrying a concealed weapon"

rape wouldnt be the most legal thing either

You're stating the obvious, I was stating the not so obvious and with tongue in cheek.

i know ,i just think sex offenders get away with too much

no offence

Interpreting meaning in forums can be tricky, I jumped the gun (pun intended) on this.