Anti-rape female condom: Encyclopedia - Anti-rape female condom

Anti-rape female condom

The anti-rape female condom (aka anti-rape condom, intended brand name Rapex) was invented by Sonette Ehlers, a South African woman. It's intended to prevent rape by hooking onto an attacker's penis, hurting and disabling him.

The device is a latex sheath held firm by shafts of sharp, inward-facing microscopic barbs that would be worn by a woman in her vagina like a tampon. Should an attacker attempt vaginal rape, the penis would penetrate the latex and be hooked by the barbs, causing the attacker pain and (ideally) giving the victim time to escape. The condom would remain attached to the attacker's body and could be removed only surgically, which would alert hospital staff and police.

The Rapex would also act as a regular female condom, reducing chances of impregnation or STD infection.

The device was unveiled on August 31, 2005 in rape-ridden South Africa. Production will start the following year if severe criticism is overcome.

Anti-rape female condom - Criticism

Critics, women included, have objected to Ehler's invention as "medieval" and "vengeful, horrible, and disgusting" [1] and oppose its future sale in drugstores as planned. Others fear that use of the device would enrage the attacker and further jeopardize the victim [2].

Anti-rape female condom - Background

The concept of a vagina dentata is rooted in ancient myth and had previously been explored in fiction, e.g. in Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson [3]. Ehler mentioned that she was inspired by a victim's reference to the myth [4].

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Anti-rape female condom", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki