Earlier this summer – around World Cup time – CNN reported on a South African doctor’s invention of a so-called “anti-rape device” – Rape aXe - that can be worn inside of a woman’s vagina. I am all for preventing sexual assaults whenever possible and also empowering women, however while I think that Dr. Sonnet Ehlers, inventor of Rape-aXe, had best intentions there are many problems with her invention. Rape-aXe is a fairly inexpensive product designed to be worn inside of the female to help stop sexual assault by having “teeth” on it. However, sexual assault is less about the actual act of sex and more about control.
I see several possible problems with this device. First, the idea that this device will in some manner “protect” the wearer gives some false hope. While statistically more sexual perpetrators know their victim, there is still the idea that rapists are people hiding in the shadows, especially in bad areas of town. Also, who is to say if someone tries to assault a person wearing this device that it will stop? My perception is that it will only anger the perpetrator and then they may be putting the potential victim’s life at stake. That said, I do think something like this could be beneficial to certain people, but I think there would be more benefits from prevention education.
[CNN]