Anti-Rape Female Condom

[dancingalone]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/06/20/south.africa.female.condom/index.html?iref=obnetwork

I'm speechless. Seems like such a bad idea on the surface. (No joke intended.)

 

[MA-Caver]

Rape is much more than just unwanted penetration. It's a psychological attack as well as an emotional assault. This device would not prevent the attacker from beating the crap out of her or intimidating her emotionally nor would it prevent him from forcibly removing it before he initiates the act. Oral sex is just as pleasurable to a rapist as it is to anyone else... forcible ******** even more so since rape is more aligned with dominating a woman than just having sex.
Also rape is a 24 hour crime. It can happen anywhere between the hours of 12 noon to 12 noon the next day. Would a girl/woman have to wear this all the time? Would she someday forget to insert it or doesn't want to or take it out and then forget because she's distracted, and then 10-40 minutes later she's attacked?

Rapist don't care and they're not stupid, and once they find out about the device (as they can read/watch the news just as well as we can) then they'll be on guard for it and check to see if it's there and then make the girl or do it themselves remove the device and continue at their leisure.
In Africa, from what I've read most of the rapes are gang related and it's not ONE guy forcing the girl but 3 or 5 or even up to 10. Sure the first guy might get caught but the others have the way cleared for them.
They could also thwart the device by inserting a psudeo penis inside... There are ways around it.

What they need to make is a ring or bracelet or something that the girl wears on her finger/wrist with a needle in the stone or something that she can activate and the needle has a poison that will either render the attacker immobile (preferably just kill the bastard) or do something to cause an allergic reaction (like swell up or have a dye or something) where it's easy to ident the perp.

Either way suppose the girl is a virgin would this device require her to break her hymen to have it in? There are STILL cultural significance to a girl being a virgin til she gets married. Especially around Muslim populations of Africans. How are they going to get around THAT?

A bad idea on the surface and a bad idea all around... good intentions however and appreciable but bad execution IMO.

 

[Omar B]

It may work as a passive threat to the most passive of rapists. But the guys who really wanna get some raping done will get around it. Just like locked doors are not foolproof against burglars.

So now the attackers will just have to use a finger and check ... then beat the crap out of the victim.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Rapist don't care and they're not stupid, and once they find out about the device (as they can read/watch the news just as well as we can) then they'll be on guard for it and check to see if it's there and then make the girl or do it themselves remove the device and continue at their leisure.
In Africa, from what I've read most of the rapes are gang related and it's not ONE guy forcing the girl but 3 or 5 or even up to 10. Sure the first guy might get caught but the others have the way cleared for them.
They could also thwart the device by inserting a psudeo penis inside... There are ways around it.

I don't really know the statistics about the average rape crime and whether it was planned out or whatnot, but aren't you giving rapists a bit too much credit? From my layman's understanding, rape is often a heat-of-the-moment act, usually involving alcohol. A lot of what you're describing is stuff that would have to be premeditated. Not saying a rapist couldn't do any of these things, but assuming that the rape isn't a premeditated affair, wouldn't that mean that the device would still be often effective?

What they need to make is a ring or bracelet or something that the girl wears on her finger/wrist with a needle in the stone or something that she can activate and the needle has a poison that will either render the attacker immobile (preferably just kill the bastard) or do something to cause an allergic reaction (like swell up or have a dye or something) where it's easy to ident the perp.

This is inviting a lot of disaster. A ring with poison in it? How long do you think it'll take before someone accidentally, or while in an argument, stabs another person who isn't raping them? At least with the anti-rape condom, the only way you can be injured by it is if you're already guilty.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

It may work as a passive threat to the most passive of rapists. But the guys who really wanna get some raping done will get around it. Just like locked doors are not foolproof against burglars.

So now the attackers will just have to use a finger and check ... then beat the crap out of the victim.

Indeed, but it's still a good idea to lock your doors when you leave the house or go to sleep, isn't it? And I'm not buying the whole "now they'll be pissed and beat her up" argument. They're raping a girl, I don't think angry assailant or preventing an attack is really an issue at that point.

 

[MA-Caver]

I don't really know the statistics about the average rape crime and whether it was planned out or whatnot, but aren't you giving rapists a bit too much credit? From my layman's understanding, rape is often a heat-of-the-moment act, usually involving alcohol. A lot of what you're describing is stuff that would have to be premeditated. Not saying a rapist couldn't do any of these things, but assuming that the rape isn't a premeditated affair, wouldn't that mean that the device would still be often effective?

Rape is rape... passive rape... no such thing, the girl/woman says NO and that's the end of story... period!
Premeditated? A guy goes out and he's horny... he wants to get laid. Drinking at the bar, using pick up lines, buying drinks for that hot babe at the end of the bar and he becomes unsuccessful and the alcohol impairs his judgment or worse brings out the demon in him and dammit he's gonna get laid tonight irregardless, and it doesn't always have to be with that particular girl he's had his eye on... sound premeditated enough to you? True, rape is sometimes or more often an opportunistic crime, girl very drunk or passed out or whatever, burglar happens upon a woman alone in the house during his break in and so on. But again it's more about power and control than just sexual gratification. "I want this girl to sleep with me but how dare she? She turned me down, that *****! I'm not good enough for her?? Ok I'll show her!" Having been an intern for a sexual abuse treatment clinic and working with sex offenders I feel I have a insight to their way of thinking.
Sounds simplistic and sometimes it is. Other times and more often than not it's a lot more complicated than that. Frustration when going out with a girl repeatedly having a good time but not being invited in after the date, or wooing a girl and she rejects the advances continually because she just isn't interested. It builds up and then becomes to the point of beyond control of the male in question. But it does happen and it happens too damned often. In Africa there's a lot of it. Poverty, wars, gangs, remote villages and hundreds of other factors.
As far as statistics? Try this link... per country per 1000 people http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_rap_percap-crime-rapes-per-capita .

This is inviting a lot of disaster. A ring with poison in it? How long do you think it'll take before someone accidentally, or while in an argument, stabs another person who isn't raping them? At least with the anti-rape condom, the only way you can be injured by it is if you're already guilty.

Agreed, it's just a spur of the moment thought, possible options and so on. Anything better than some invasive piece of plastic that could cause more harm than good. So if someone else builds a better mousetrap (more like RAT-trap) then by all means.

 

[Blade96]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/06/20/south.africa.female.condom/index.html?iref=obnetwork

I'm speechless. Seems like such a bad idea on the surface. (No joke intended.)

Read this and started laughing. Spiney thingies in the private part? The rapist deserves what he gets.

Had to say that before saying I think you all who posted right after the OP have good points. =]

 

[CoryKS]

Raven does not approve.

 

[MA-Caver]

I think what has irked me about this thread was the fact that an idea was created in hopes to PREVENT rape and the naivety of it just ... well... irked me.
IMHO the best rape prevention is self-defense/ MA training, being aware of one's surroundings, being with someone else or two when one goes out (which they do... girls traveling in packs when they go out clubbing), getting secure home protection (locks and alarms, etc.), having a good dog at home (early warning more than overall protection unless you get an animal that is specifically trained for that and they're $$$, are probably the better rape prevention methods out there. All those and a healthy dose of common sense.

Having something that will ident the rapist IS a good idea but not if it pisses the rapist off to where they'll exact revenge (immediate or delayed).
A group of girls where I work tend to go out clubbing together ... not a large pack or anything like that but 2 sometimes 4 will gather for a night on the town and come back the following morning laughing and giggling about the previous weekend. One of them confided in me that they with the aid of camera phones and those small nifty purse size digital cameras they agreed to bring prospective date over to their table (if they plan to leave with the guy) and have a "cute photo of the two of them together"... at least if the guy turns out to be a jerk and hurts one of them... voila they got a photo of the perp, making it easier for a positive ident. It doesn't (always) prevent the crime of course but it will make capturing the bastard a lot quicker.

Yet prevention is really the key ... to stop it before it even gets to the point where the fear sets in.

 

[Carol]

It is not the condom that demonstrates naivete, it is the superstitions that brought rise to the need for such things.

African superstition says that sex with a virgin will cure a man of AIDS. The men that believe in this, instead of modern science, are out raping young girls in order to cure their AIDS infection.

When the people stop clinging to these pointless superstitions, there will be less rape, period. Until then...

 

[Omar B]

Oh no, someone said "pointless superstitions!" How long till this becomes a religions thread now?

 

[MA-Caver]

When the people stop clinging to these pointless superstitions, there will be less rape, period. Until then...

I disagree here Carol.

Until men the world over finally accept, think of and treat women as their unquestionable equals rape will continue, irregardless of superstition or not.
True, there are things that men can do that women cannot and vice versa but it doesn't make them less equal... just different.

 

[Carol]

AIDS 'Virgin' Myth Drives
South Africa's Hideous
Child-Rape Epidemic

HIV/AIDS, the stats, the virgin cure and infant rape

The 'virgin myth' and child rape in South Africa

Women and Children in Portions of Africa are Being Sexually Violated by Men Who Believe That Sex With a Virgin will Cure Their AIDS-Truth!

HIV and AIDS misconceptions

Myths blunt Africa's fight against AIDS

 

[Bruno@MT]

I disagree here Carol.

Until men the world over finally accept, think of and treat women as their unquestionable equals rape will continue, irregardless of superstition or not.
True, there are things that men can do that women cannot and vice versa but it doesn't make them less equal... just different.

I agree with you in the general sense, but in this specific case I side with Carol. Many of the rapes occur because these men have aids and believe that they will be cured when having sex with a virgin. In that case, whether the woman is considered an equal or not is beside the point. Even if he were to generally accept women as equals, he'd still do the rape in order to get better.

If the superstition said he'd have to have sex with a man, or a chicken, he'd probably do that as well if he believes there are only 2 options: die from aids or do the other thing.

 

[MA-Caver]

AIDS 'Virgin' Myth Drives
South Africa's Hideous
Child-Rape Epidemic

HIV/AIDS, the stats, the virgin cure and infant rape

The 'virgin myth' and child rape in South Africa

Women and Children in Portions of Africa are Being Sexually Violated by Men Who Believe That Sex With a Virgin will Cure Their AIDS-Truth!

HIV and AIDS misconceptions

Myths blunt Africa's fight against AIDS

There is a call in South Africa for reinstating the death penalty of this crime.... Seems that if it's what will make people understand...

[SIZE=+1]"South Africa has a history of violence, we communicate through violence and it will be a long time before we move away from that."
[/SIZE]

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Eddie Murphy did a joke once about "You stick it in and it explodes and the girl will be all 'Maybe I should see a doctor about that'". Then there was the whole "Pillowpants" bit from Clerks2. Again, both are more effective deterrents in my opinion than this.

If I were a rapist and I suspected you had something in there, I'd come prepared and use a sausage, a dong, a mag light or a broom handle to check. I'd probably not be gentle, and if it was there and wouldn't come out, well lookie there, there's another access port just below it. Bet you don't have teeth in there.

Crude yes, but the point is, rape's not a polite thing, and it's not always vaginal in nature. A real deterrent isn't going to be so easily avoided. There's also the power trip part, and were I on one and trying to rape someone, and found that, it would of course piss me off and the victim would probably lose a few teeth as a result.

You need to understand the mind and motivations to design effective defenses.

 

[aedrasteia]

Thanks extended to Carol, Caver, Bruno. Many many thanks.

A brave, dignified and admirable woman from Africa (Somalia) - a graduate student in biology appeared at a presentation and slowly, patiently described FGM and rape as she and her sisters (literal and sisters of the heart) had experienced these horrors. She dealt with the clueless questions, insensitive comments and ridiculous suggestions (like the insertion devices) with unnerving self-control and clarity. She also had choice and sharp observations about rape and sexual assault in the US and our characterizations of survivors. She observed that western men were also frightened by the rapists from her region who claimed that western men also would rape with impunity, if they only had the chance.

She made herself available to our agency to help when we encountered any girls and women who had been assaulted and were connected to the African or Afro-Carribean communities. She was generous, patient and tenacious. I remember her with profound respect and affection. She had built a life for herself, not by herself alone, but through the love and support of other African and American women, overwhelmingly women.
we will not end this cruelty in her lifetime or mine, therefore we are obliged to do what we can do.

(full story http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8107039.stm)
South African rape survey shock

South Africa's government has been urged to solve the rape epidemic

One in four South African men questioned in a survey said they had raped someone, and nearly half of them admitted more than one attack.
The study, by the country's Medical Research Council, also found three out of four who admitted rape had attacked for the first time during their teens.
It said practices such as gang rape were common because they were considered a form of male bonding.
The MRC spoke to 1,738 men in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces.
The research was conducted in both rural and urban areas and included all racial groups.
Using an electronic device to keep the results anonymous, the study found that 73% of those who admitted rape said they had carried out their first assault before the age of 20.
Almost half who said they had carried out a rape admitted they had done so more than once.

One in 20 men surveyed said they had raped a woman or girl in the last year.

 

[Big Don]

IIRC, Rape GANGS are what these women have to fear, not some lone a-hole. If the first guy pulls out a bloody stump, the rest of the GANG probably isn't going to react well...