News
Rape Prevention at the World Cup
Andrew Limbong :: Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 6:00 pm
As masses gather in South Africa for the World Cup, it seems like a fine time to address a serious problem that has been ailing women there for some time. It’s called the “Rape-aXe,” and it can potentially save your soul.
Invented by Dr. Sonnet Ehlers, it’s essentially a condom that a woman can wear with the special bonus of teeth on the inside. Should she encounter a situation in which she is being raped, the teeth inside the condom will attach themselves to the attacker’s penis, and it will not come off unless the attacker visits a doctor, preventing him from urinating, and tearing his dick up something fierce.
30,000 of the condoms are being given away for free at the World Cup. Yes, rape happens enough in South Africa for there to be an apparent need for 30,000 teeth-condoms to be distributed free at the event.
There’s a lot wrong with it. Technically speaking, it doesn’t prevent rape. For it to work, penetration (rape) has to occur first. So there is no rescue from the actual crime, only revenge and attempt to stop it short. On top of that, the Rape-aXe does nothing about the potential violence/murder that a rapist might take part in after finding out the skin of his penis has been torn. And what about oral/anal rape? A rapist might decide to take an alternate route in his scumbaggery in order to bypass the Rape-aXe. Malicious women could use it to inflict harm upon unsuspecting, and innocent, male partners. Lara Williams, at The Guardian, wrote an article stating that the very idea of it is misogynistic, and it “places the prevention of rape, once again, squarely with women,” treating South Africa’s appalling rape statistics as if it were some relatively minor malaise rather than the serious societal plague that it is.
Though these are all strong points, there’s one important benefit of 30,000 of these being handed out at the World Cup: it’s the World Cup. It’s a venue that’s being watched by the entire world, and an excellent platform to raise awareness of the rape epidemic in South Africa. Though it may only be a bandage on a gunshot wound to the gut, it’s also alerting the rest of the world that this is a serious problem. Also, the very idea that these are floating around could possibly deter potential rapists from sticking their dicks into places they don’t belong, and maybe influence all men in South Africa to make better sexual decisions. Here’s hoping, at least.
