The Rapex

[OUMoose]

... however, anal rape is just as satisfactory to those beasts and oral rape as well. Are they going to make anti-rape devices for those orifices?

They did for Oral rape... they're called teeth...

Back to the percentages of one area being more risky of rape than another. What's the difference between say a woman walking home from the bus stop late at night from work in Brooklyn, or in East L.A. or in the seedier sides of every major city? How about those podunk towns out in the middle of nowhere that sport a bar... How about in europe? Asia? Are a woman's chances lower? Probably not.

I dunno. I would think someplace like Darfur or Rwanda would sport a better chance of sexual assault than New York, and certainly higher than podunk, USA. Is it any more damaging to a woman's psyche for these assualts to happen, regardless of locale? That I would agree with.

 

[Kacey]

The biggest problem I see is the "it can't happen to me" theory, followed by the "locking the barn door after the horse has escaped" theory. As has been stated, the women most likely to use such a device are those who have been raped first; in addition, it could provoke the rapist (whose motivation is generally much more about pain and/or humiliation than sex) to even greater brutality. Given the comments about 3rd world countries... maybe... but it's one of those things that someone is going to have to do first, and the word would have to be spread, or it won't be a preventative... once the rape has already been started, it will be too late - only fear that a woman might be wearing such a device before the rape begins will prevent a rape, and once it becomes sufficiently widespread, if it ever does, would-be rapists will learn to check first, and remove the device if it is there, or use another orifice.

 

[bluemtn]

I think it will be used more by those that have been raped before, and those that live in a high- risk area. Personally, though I've never been in those situations, I'd rather be prepared (mentally and physically) if those were the reasons. As I stand right now, no I wouldn't get one, but would if I lived in an area like what Lisa mentioned.

 

[terryl965]

It would be an attempt to try and stop alot of attackers but there will be a counter measure soon enough and that could couse even more damage to the victom.

 

[Carol]

The idea is, once this gets out, and a few *******s get caught because of it, serious rapists will start checking before hand. This might require them to be more aggressive, and if they find it, upping the violence another notch as retaliation.

It's not a matter of not knowing, it's a matter of thinking of checking first.

The company marketing this is going to push the whole "stick this up there, and you'll be safe." crap.

Well, lets be blunt. To rape you, I have to attack you. It won't stop my attack. You're already going to have been attacked, stripped, possibly beaten up. And, you're still going to be forcibly violated. It won't jump out on me, I have to be inside of you, for this to work. It might make me easier to find later, but you'll still have been raped.

Oh, the risk might stop more casual and random rape, and cut back on some date-rape situations.

But the serious rapist, who stalks his prey, who lies in wait on bike trails and jogging paths...he'll have something along with his duct tape, gag, rope and knife to test for traps. When you deal with guys who will shave all body hair, wear a condom, and rubber gloves...what's it really to spend $10 for a rubber dicky to keep from getting their gear snagged in a bastard-trap?

I don't think he'll need the rubber dickey either. The description says "microscopic barbs". I can't see those barbs standing up to much. If anything that might snag up the condom the rapist wears and make it harder to take the evidence with him...perhaps that just means he has to put on two in stead of one. Or perhaps he has to be wearing the rubber gloves first. Or maybe he should just try the back door first.

My college dorm was a hotel that closed under a very dark cloud before my school bought the property. It closed because The Boston Strangler did a lot of his dirty work there. If the rapist is inside a woman and gets snapped by one of these, I don't understand whats to keep him from reaching for her neck because he wants to see her suffer. That was certainly the Strangler's way of taking a power trip.

 

[Hand Sword]

Sadists!!!! (though well deserved by those scumbags!) seriously, my first thought was "Niiice!!!" and draws a smile to my face after thinking of the initial pain, that I'm sure all of us males felt initially after reading the post.

Any stories of one used for real?

 

[MA-Caver]

I don't think he'll need the rubber dickey either. The description says "microscopic barbs". I can't see those barbs standing up to much. If anything that might snag up the condom the rapist wears and make it harder to take the evidence with him...perhaps that just means he has to put on two in stead of one. Or perhaps he has to be wearing the rubber gloves first. Or maybe he should just try the back door first.

My college dorm was a hotel that closed under a very dark cloud before my school bought the property. It closed because The Boston Strangler did a lot of his dirty work there. If the rapist is inside a woman and gets snapped by one of these, I don't understand whats to keep him from reaching for her neck because he wants to see her suffer. That was certainly the Strangler's way of taking a power trip.

Yes that is true... but remember the difference between the Strangler's and say a serial rapist is that the Strangler killed all his victims. A rapist or a serial rapist will keep his victims alive so that he'll be "remembered" by them or for whatever reason.

The device like I said has good intentions but it's still not going to get rid of all the (other) things associated with rape. I would not be in favor of it and would rather promote preventative rape measures and self-defense classes for women to empower them. A woman that fights back can destroy the "fantasy" that a rapist has built up in their mind before-hand. There are very VERY few that just spontaneously go out and "rape the first woman they see..." though they are out there. Most perps would pick out a victim before-hand (also remember that a large percentage know their victims and vice-versa) and build up to the moment, build up a fantasy as to how it would/should go and then stalk their victims and/or wait for the proper moment.
Any changes in their scenario will just burst the bubble (so to speak) and they'll either leave or at least stop long enough so that the would be victim can get away.... while hopefully he's writhing in pain on the ground.
A woman, (IMO) should not have to be subjected to everything that happens before the actual penetration so that the device will work it's intended purpose. She shouldn't have to be subjected to being taken by surprised and possibly being beaten, held against her will until she's taken to the predetermined spot, shouldn't have to be subjected to the fear build up that undoubtedly goes on before her clothes are removed and so forth. This device will work only after all of that happens. All of that I'm sure is just as traumatic as being forcibly entered.

 

[Carol]

Yes that is true... but remember the difference between the Strangler's and say a serial rapist is that the Strangler killed all his victims. A rapist or a serial rapist will keep his victims alive so that he'll be "remembered" by them or for whatever reason.

The Boston Strangler was indeed a serial rapist. He raped the women first, then strangled them...often using the women's own nylons to do so.

 

[BrandiJo]

i wouldnt wear one... i do not fear that i will be raped eaither. Maybe if i lived ina country where it was common and expected and feared i would. But around here i feel very safe, in the USA i feel safe, i know that even if i am raped i can have my rapist captured. in other countries that is not the case (as far as iv been told).

While i think the pain of getting snagged there would be fitting to a rapest i have to side with the others who said that every thing leading up to penatration would be just as tramatic and no female condom thing is going to prevent that. We (fem) should be taught practical self defence and empowerment and safety so to prevent and avoid the situation to start with. While it is not 100% avoidable and noone wants to think it will happen to me haveing a condom of sorts will not fix the problem, Atleast not around here.

 

[Carol]

I read a little more about it and have a slightly different view of it now.

We're discussing rape here as being motivated by power...which it is...in North America. However...the device was invented in South Africa where there are a lot of rapes, and the cultural reasons behind the rapes are different.

There is an urban legend going about parts of Africa that states that sex with a virgin is a cure for AIDS. The legend seems to be particularly strong in South Africa.

Connect the dots and the picture is very dark. These women being raped are being raped by men who have AIDS. If a woman wears this condom and the man rapes her without removing it...the woman at least stands a chance at not contracting HIV.

It will be interesting to see if this has a benefit to the climate in South Africa, or if this too puts South African women at greater risk.

BBC story about the propogation of the myth in Zimbabwe

 

[Tez3]

I think the problem may be too that in places where rape is endemic due to war etc these devices would be hard to get hold of and too expensive when they are found.
The rape of very young girls and babies is also thought to be a 'cure' for aids.

 

[arnisador]

Maybe if i lived ina country where it was common and expected and feared i would. But around here i feel very safe, in the USA i feel safe, i know that even if i am raped i can have my rapist captured. in other countries that is not the case (as far as iv been told).

This is the key point to keep in mind. The jump-out-of-the-bushes rapist is relatively rare here (as a percentage of all rapes). But as mentioned, rape is endemic in S. Africa, where this device was developed. It occurs at an unbelievable rate, and for a variety of reasons. In addition...there's the prevalence of AIDS. The physical health cost of being raped can be very high. (This may also drive some of the assaults, due to the myth that having sex with a virgin can cure AIDS.) It's a different threat environment over there.

So, whether or not one thinks this is a useful defense, it's a different scenario over there.

From the link above:

[FONT=arial, helvetica, geneva] About 55 000 rapes were reported in South Africa in 2005/06, along with close to 10 000 indecent assaults. Many of the latter may also have been rapes: of men, or with bottles, knives or guns -- prevailing legal definitions did not permit the “rape” label for those. If you are part of the majority population (according to Statistics South Africa, 51% of us are female), South Africa is a dangerous place to live.[/FONT]

From here:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] South Africa has one of the world's highest rape rates. Some 54,926 cases are reported annually, but real figures are thought to be much higher as many cases go unreported. The expanded definition of rape will likely see the statistics climb further. [/FONT]

To my mind, the device will not help until it becomes sufficiently common that people fear it as being a likely occurrence. (A woman could also be carrying a gun, but most don't, so attackers don't plan around that possibility. It would be very different if they planned to assault an armed LEO.) When it becomes commonplace, it will work briefly...then, attackers will adjust, either by finding a way to probe/test for it and possibly remove it (which could cause damage), or by changing the nature of their sexual assault to avoid the device (and forced anal penetration can have worse physical health consequences, in terms of the extent of requried surgery and the likelihood of contracting AIDS), or by "punishing" those who use it so as to discourage the practice of using it or merely out of rage (as sometimes happens when a robbery victim has little or no cash).

I don't see it being a solution. Look to nature: Poisonous animals are brightly colored. If the predators don't know the prey is poisonous until they've killed it and tried to consume it, then the predator may die, but so does the prey. A device like this that doesn't deter the initial attack and may not stop the actual attack, especially if there are multiple attackers. Every woman must make up her own mind about what to do, but I would be unlikely to recommend this (jncluding that latex sensitivities and other issues make the idea of wearing an internal device like this all the time its own health risk).

Of course, my first thought was "get a cell phone taser instead" but that is impractical for the poor people most affected by this epidemic of violence. An inexpensive device like this is more likely to be used by those who need it than a bank-style exploding dye pack that would mark the attackers for both apprehension by police and social appropation by those who see them.