SOUTH AFRICA’S ANTI-RAPE DEVICE; CONDOM WITH TEETH
A South African doctor, Dr. Sonnet Ehlers has invented a female condom with “teeth” to fight rape. The condom Rape-aXe was invented 40 years after the inspiration came from a rape victim Dr Sonnet Ehlers attended to. Dr. Ehlers said the victim looked at her and told her “if only I had teeth down there” and Dr Ehlers made a promise to the victim to help people like her one day, and hence the condom with teeth was invented.
The device works like a female condom, the woman only has to insert condom inside her vagina like a tampon. The condom has jagged row of teeth like hooks, lined inside the condom which attaches on the man’s penis during penetration. Once it is attached to a man’s penis, only a doctor can remove it. It hurts and it also prevent the man from walking. If he tries to move, it claps even tighter. However, if doesn’t break the skin, so there is no danger of fluid exposure.
The idea is to have every female wear this device when they are going on a blind date, or to areas they are not comfortable with. However, critics believe this device is not a solution to rape crisis. They say it makes women more vulnerable to violence from men trapped in the device. Others say it is a form of enslavement and it reminds women of their vulnerability, it also does not help deal with the psychological trauma the victims may experience.
Many critics believe that Dr. Ehlers has developed a medieval device to fight rape, but Dr. Ehlers is of the opinion that something has to be done about the medieval deed (rape) which has been around for decades. She also believes that this device will make men rethink before they assault a woman.
