I am all about the whole "Why are women being made responsible for rape?" outrage, but -- I do think that something like this is, although undesireable, good as a last-ditch thing, which sadly is where a lot of places in the world are right now. On the other hand, that last problem mentioned, the fact that it is likely to enrage the attacker and make him more violent, is a real one, and I think ultimately I'm opposed to this for that practical reason.

I have to agree with becca. It's easy to imagine the attacker becoming enraged and further brutalizing his victim. That's too big of a risk, imo.

Doing nothing is not a guarantee the rapeist will not further attack a victim. Maybe the thing to do is to put a strong somulent on the tips of the barbs to knock the rapist out.

There are other practical problems. A man could buy one of these, turn it inside out, and use it is a weapon on a woman.

Then there is the problem of what happens when someone forgets to take it out for a legitimate encounter.

Then there is using one of these things for vengence, framing

I don't know what to think about this. A lot of the arguments against this device would be used against carrying something like mace - e.g., that it be used against the victim, that it might enrage the attacker, that it makes the woman responsible for ensuring that she is not raped, etc. - and even against those personal alarms people carry - e.g., it could be argued that advising people to carry an alarm makes them responsible for their safety, teaches them to expect to be attacked, and so forth. But somehow the arguments when used against mace, personal alarms, don't look quite so good.

Having said that, I suspect the effect of this device would be to increase the number of anal rapes/rapes using objects, etc. as rapists rape differently to avoid the rapex - as others have pointed out.

"Maybe the thing to do is to put a strong somulent on the tips of the barbs to knock the rapist out." - equality

I kind of like this idea, except that the probability of tragedy is too high. How safe would you really feel with these drugs literally in your body?

Either way, it is depressing that we live in a world where women would find it necesary to boobie trap their vaginas.

I can't add to the prescient comments others have made about this. Though, what irked me was the title of the original Cape Times article: "Anti-rape device fuels climate of fear for women." Am I alone in thinking a good editor should have replaced the verb, "fuels," with, say, "reflects" (or something else)?

The fact is, us feminists can bitch about the fact that we live in a rape culture and this doesnt solve the problem etc etc. All of this is true. But the fact remains, it's not changing. We are working on it, but until then, you absolutely have to deal with reality whether you like it or not. Why these two things need to be mutually exclusive is beyond me. Cant we deal with reality WHILE we work for change? This to me seems to be the only way we are going to achieve anything, and yet keep women safe in the process. Women are raped, its a fact of life, so you need to simultaneously protect women and change the culture that makes it so widespread.
Did anyone consider the idea that maybe having this on the market will have MEN live in fear of raping someone the same way women live in fear of rape?

the idea that a man would turn it inside out and use it against a woman seems a little far fetched at best. this seems to be the last thing a man would use as a weapon against a woman.

if you are stupid enough to not remember to take it out for a legitimate encounter, well then you are just an idiot and if it in any way prevents an idiot as big as that from procreating well then i consider that a good thing.

there are two things that are a concern though. they were both mentioned. i think it has the possibility to provoke the attacker as well to become more violent. However, this could possibly (we dont know, i doubt any man volunteered) hurt so much that it would incapacitate the attacker. we wont necessarily know that. men are big babies when it comes to their penises and are generally reduced to drivelling idiots whenever they are even slightly hurt in that area. nevertheless its still one of the larger risks as i see it.

the other is that it could be used as vengeance and to frame a man. i know many feminists like to pretend women dont do these things but they do, which is also a reality that has to be dealt with and not swept under the rug. look at it this way, if a woman is evil enough to kill her own children, i am pretty sure she is capable of lying about rape whether its out of fear of her reputation or in vengeance for a cheating husband etc. it happens and this device could possibly be used.

i think women should have the choice to wear this, lets see what happens when it comes out. you never know.

As a few people in the other thread said, I think biggest problem is it might not be all that effective at actually protecting women. It can't deter an attack, it can only stop one already happening. I fully support the existence of such a device, but I worry it might create a false sense of security. A can of Mace is propably a better option.

I doubt any serious problems will arise from the use of this device, but I also doubt it'll do that much good. It's use should be a choice.

"if you are stupid enough to not remember to take it out for a legitimate encounter, well then you are just an idiot"

Noting the stupidity of the average person, I'd say that something like this would happen fairly often - as well as in the case of alcohol or mind-altering drugs being used, or even just plain great passion, people might forget to take it out.

"and if it in any way prevents an idiot as big as that from procreating well then i consider that a good thing."

You consider it a good thing for a man to have something painful and mentally scarring attatched to his penis that can only be surgically removed a good thing because it stops the woman from having kids? Nice.

most people are indeed stupid, you are correct. however, that is not my problem and i dont believe that fact should prevent me from using something that i may feel would protect me. this goes for lots of different things.

as for the second quote, it was more a tongue in cheek reference to the fact that "only the stupid people are procreating" phenomenon best exhibited by white trash such as britney spears.

Hmm. I have no particular words of wisdom, just of the observation that I would never in a million years feel at all comfortable with painful hooks or blades in my vulva.

Out of curiosity only, do I misunderstand the concept or would it be impossible to use it while menstruating?

if you are stupid enough to not remember to take it out for a legitimate encounter, well then you are just an idiot and if it in any way prevents an idiot as big as that from procreating well then i consider that a good thing.

The thing is, it hurts people around the idiot, not the idiot herself. It has the same problem as advocating faithfulness as a way of avoiding STIs: people are punished for their partners' faults.

Another problem, which the article Jessica linked to doesn't mention, is that having such a device on the market can make it possible for men to claim that any woman without such a device in her vulva is necessarily consenting.

Girls who do their kegels don't need this device.