Rapex for Success

A South African woman has invented an anti-rape device.

Some sort of new mace, perhaps? An easily concealable shiv of some sort?

No, it's a female condom full of barbs and spikes, that latches on to an attacker's penis and can only be removed via surgery. Duh.

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 east of Cape Town. "I promise you he is going to be too sore. He will go straight to hospital."

Well, it's a pretty decent plan...I mean, yes, if a man is raping a woman and suddenly he feels a sharp, hard piece of rubber clamping down tightly on to his member, the continuation of the rape itself is probably not going to be Ongoing Priority #1. The immediate grasping of his penis in his hands, following by high-pitched shreiking, a torrential stream of profanity and possibly unconsciousness...that's more like it...

But still...a female condom that must be worn at all times? This isn't exactly practical.

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.

The article says that the device has been tried out by women, so I guess it isn't too uncomfortable. But still, I can't imagine many ladies wanting to trudge around all day with this thing snugly fit up their...um...hoo-hahs, on the off chance today will be the day that the creepy weirdo down the block decides to make his play.

I'm not trying to make fun...I'm just trying to conceive of how bad the rape problem must be in South Africa to warrant a device women wear at all times with the sole purpose of prevent unwanted sexual penetration.

Ehlers, who showed off a prototype yesterday, 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.

Amazing, they haven't been able to find a male test subject. I can't imagine why.

Oh yeah, the thorn-in-your-cock thing...right...

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.

I'm normally not the kind of guy who's in favor of excessively violent, mean-spirited criminal punishments, but I don't really find the "Rapex" concept to be barbaric. Medieval, maybe, in that the thing essentially serves as a chastity belt - albeit one that's painful for the man rather than the woman wearing it.

But, hey, if you're going to go around shoving your penis around in places it's not welcome...you take the risk of getting something sharp lodged in there. That's how the game is played.