I’m sure many a man has heard of the vagina dentata — a mysterious and powerful vagina with teeth that will devour a penis in seconds. It is a fearful picture to create in anyone’s mind, especially when the vagina is not like that at all. Somehow this crazy idea has been extended to build an anti-rape condom which its creator thinks will ensure the capture of rapists. In fact, what it will ensure is further violence against the victims (survivors) which that rapists chooses to rape. This is linear thinking at its absolute worst.
This anti-rape condom plays to several powerful myths about rape in South Africa. Firstly, it plays to the idea that your rapist is someone unknown to you — or as the creator calls it an “opportunistic sexual predator”. It creates the idea of scary men hiding behind every alleyway waiting to get you. In South Africa and around the world it is more common for the rapist to be someone you know. The fact that this is marketed as something that you can wear when you go to new areas is something that fuels the idea that it is only rape outside the home — a myth that must be dismantled for us to empower women to report their rape. It also plays into a myth that all rapists are mentally ill, or monsters. Rapists are not mentally ill — they are responsible for their crimes.
Second, the media has branded this as something that will ‘take the bite out of rape’. This suggests that for rape survivors the trauma starts and ends with penetration. This is not true. Many rape survivors experience symptoms which can be likened to the effects of going to war, and which fall under a broad description of Rape Trauma Syndrome (RTS). If you read any survivor’s account of her/his experience you will find that although the act itself was incredibly traumatic, the long term trauma is caused by a lack of support and closure, and the lack of understanding about the impact of RTS.
What is also worrying about this development is that it is painful for the rapist and this is dangerous for the rape victim/survivor. I suppose the hope is that causing this pain will make it too painful for the rape to continue and so the survivor will be able to get away. The creator suggests that because the condom has to be surgically removed the perpetrator will have to be present at a medical facility and thus will be caught. The creator says that “he knows he will be in double trouble should he kill you” and so he’ll let you get away. This supports another myth: if a woman tries hard enough she can stop a rape. This is not always possible. Many women at the time are physically overpowered and psychologically disempowered from the sheer trauma of the rape. A woman is never responsible for her rape and we should never blame her for not getting away.
Rapists get away with rape because of a poor justice system, including poor support when/if the crime is reported and because there is so much stigma around reporting — the fact that he has some metal prongs in his penis is not going to make him run away — it is going to make him hurt the victim/survivor. The pain will make the experience more violent, or the perpetrator will fear being caught and so will be more physically violent with the victim/survivor. I think that this product will make the whole experience more dangerous for the survivor.
The device does not cause permanent damage to the rapist, so it does not prevent repeat offenders. It simply cuts the penis, which after surgical removal (or help from some friends) will heal and scar. What is the point of placing women at a higher risk of violence by encouraging them to wear this device? It is like saying she is in a position to negotiate her rape.
This ridiculous device has been created with very little understanding of the needs of rape survivors, or of rape in South Africa at all. My suggestion is that if someone offers one of these things to you (because they hope to be distributing them for free), you throw it away or keep it as evidence of poor thinking and understanding.
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This is written in my own personal capacity. It is not a representation of the opinion of all NGOs or any particular organisation.
Behaviour modification is the best way to handle/prevent rape but this device would help in what Whoopi goldberg calls rape-rape as opposed to date- rape or seduction rape or unpaid prostitute -rape
There is first degree murder second degree murder, manslaughter when a person is killed. But you shut your eyes and want to classify all rape as the same.You do a disservice to rape -rape victims
You raise interesting points, none of which I’d considered before. However, none of them is a reason to do away with this condom. I think there’s still a place for this sort of device. I agree, I don’t think it will prevent the trauma for the victim, but it might still prevent a future rape.
Seems to me that any smart rapist would have the good sense to quickly check for the presence of this device first – making it useless.
AND all a “smart” rapist needs to do is check if she is wearing one of those rapex condoms before doing the deed. If she is, he will probably “punish” her for that.
Haiwa, rape is rape no matter what categories you think it falls into. By saying one rape is ‘worse’ or ‘better’ than another is doing a grand disservice to rape survivors. And ignoring the trauma that each of them faces.
This device is utter crap. When will a woman know when to wear it? WOuld she have advanced knowledge that she is going to be raped. In that case she should get herself a shotgun and Blow away!
Bravo Jenny! I’ve always wondered about this invention and what personal rape experience the inventor had. What gender was the inventor?
@haiwa
Yes. There are distinctions. Jenny is not doing us a disservice. This instrument is a real danger to women – especially in ‘rape-rape’. Jen is 100% right.
Let’s be clear, because many don’t understand the distinctions – largely those who stigmatize survivors. You’re NOT saying I’m any less/more raped because I fit into some category or some rape survivors are more ‘at fault’ than others.
No murderer claims that the victim was ‘asking for it’ because of the victim’s clothing, stimulant intake or presence in any particular place. So why do rapists? Sure, post-rape these distinctions are significant in recovery. And perhaps in ‘behavioural modification’ which I know nothing of – please give us more info.
I think once rape has been elevated to the same (national, political, social, policing and judicial) significance and understanding as murder, the distinctions will gradually become obvious to everyone. The immediate question is how do we get rape to be seen that way?
And how can women safely protect themselves against rape? My personal method – learned after the fact – is removing his eyeballs, and next time someone tries to force his cock into my mouth it will be decapitated. But only because I’m ready to die, and I know I’m likely to if I do fight back. But I won’t go through that again.
It seems to me this bizarre contraption puts the woman more at risk. An enraged and hurt rapist would seem to be a more dangerous rapist. After all, the mere fact that the person is committing the rape suggests a lack of compassion, right? Add to that the pain (or perhaps the discovery of the device by some other means than getting his penis caught) and I would imagine the situation would be much worse for the woman. One might argue that carrying protection against any attacker might deter an attacker (the gun lobby like that argument) or alternatively make an attacker angrier or more determined to subdue you with disastrous consequences and therefore the debate fits into this category. I have not figured out yet whether it is fair to compare the two arguments (normal robbery type attack and rape)and lump them into a a debate about whether it is better to have a weapon against an attacker in general. Would it not be better for a woman to plead with a rapist to use a condom? I’m sorry if that is a way out comment, but this is a debate and it is sincerely meant.
Clearly you have not been raped. Had you been you would relive the trauma for the rest of your life. Over and over and over again. You would know that the support and care desired and needed is for public accountability, and above all justice with the very sick person who inflicted their sickness upon you.
No ‘strokes’ and no ‘love’ can wipe out that reality, experienced, and as such, a part of your psyche for the rest of your days, to be brought forth from your memory as a fundamental part of your reality.
As for your prescriptions of what a vagina is, or is not like, I for one would love mine to conjure up the image of fangs that embed themselves in the penis of any who are legitimately psycho-pathic given the normalisation of any violences toward women, or any being.
That their psycho pathology is undiagnosed, systemic, and the effect of the effect of previous trauma at every contextual level does not make them more or less responsible. They did what they did. They must acknowledge reality and transform; whatever it takes.
This little deterrent, is in most rape survivor’s eyes, personally known and interviewed, not enough. It’s a good start though toward bringing back public castration; justice, I for I, and all that.
No justice. No peace.
Hit them all where it hurts, the most, repeatedly, until the lesson comes home to roost. You MAY NOT do as you do!
Jen
I think you have been too vehement, almost personal, its not really called for. What is your point: that prevention is worse than cure? If this gadget can save even one person from us men, I am happy. I am sure it is going to deter someone somewhere.
I used to like your articles but this and the pregnancy one draw me near to judge you and say; you are losing it.
@ A. Paul
When do you wear a seatbelt?
This is a condom right?
So there is a chance it may prevent transmission of HIV to the victim / survivor – well done! It is such creativity that brought about the wheel.
About the perpetrator’s pain causing him to cause more harm – forget it. If you have pen is you may just know how it is to be bitten by an ant – later alone ripped by those pricks. No way!
I think the cleverest invention to combat rape, is a capsule, which a woman could break, when she finds herself in such a situation, and it gives off the most awefull smell imagineable.
Apparently the smell is designed and almost guaranteed to put off any potential rapist immediately
The Praetor.
@ Emosheen Kills and Jen
Jen, don’t bother yourself listening to bafoons of Emosheen’s variety. I think your writing is great, and often on the mark. This article is a case in point.
The point is that this gadget is unlikely to ‘save’ anyone. As you say, its far more likely that it will enrage the perp and cause more violence.
Also, it may even be used against the survivor — damned for not wearing one and not protecting herself if she chooses not to wear one, and damned if she does decide to wear one and incites more violence.
i have heard of that device many years ago and still have heard of any incident of it being used or anyone having it. So Haiwa Tigere, have you seen it or have it or know anyone who has it or has it ever protected anyone you know or you don’t know?
Call it anything you like but stupid it isn’t when you look at the shameful history and statistics of rape in our country someone has come up with an idea to protect the vulnerable.. until you are a victim or have a member of your family and loved one become a victim of rape you will welcome any idea no matter how ridiculous..
Some rapists are oppurtunistic and the idea that they might be caught and let alone embarrassed may stop them from committing this crime… I agree behavioural chnage comes first but in the mean time lets not make fun of people who are really concerned and would like to contribute to the safety of all women in our country…
It would be interesting to hear about the first man to be a victim to this invention.. i dont think he will be thinking about causing more harm to the woman but will be worried about his manhood and maybe pleading instead of trying to inflict pain….
I say bring it on it’s time KE NAKO
I am a rape survivor, and the perpetrators were two 18 year old boys that I knew. If I had used this device I would have ended up in the hospital, beaten to a pulp and too scared to identify them for fear of a retaliation.
It is a highly irresponsible device.
There are as many generalisations in your text as there are in the media regards rape and rapists. Pot kettle black?
The device may not be a perfect solution, but hey, it shows someone is at least looking for solutions.
The original anti rape device was produced by a male prof in Pretoria in the 1990s. It wasn’t a condom, more like a little basket with razor sharp knives to slice the head of the penis to bits. At the time it didn’t go down well (pardon the pun) because most of the expected rapists would have HIV and would pass on their virus more easily as there would be bleeding..
A condom on the other hand is only worn by responsible men, not your common or garden variety..
The old lock and key device (what was it called?) used by fathers to protect their daughters marriage value, and by husbands off to war, seems to be a much more effective barrier to rape. Got it – CHASTITY BELT.
Excepting this time, to be worn voluntarily by women to prevent any unwanted entry. With todays fantastic technological advances in technology in materials and digital locking devices etc, imagine a rapist confounded with a pair of panties that don’t budge. Hmmmm.
Burglar bars and razor wire and ten-foot walls and large “armed response and electric fence” signs are even more stupid than this toothed condom invention which, at least, is invisible.
These anti-burglar measures totally destroy the very urban landscape you have to look at every day and turn your leafy lawny suburb into a gulag or P.O.W. camp.
But, would it be wiser to remove all these anti-crime measures and choose to join a kumbaya singing circle instead? Or write letters to the paper grizzling about the evil criminals and why can’t the bad people improve their behaviour and just leave my unguarded stuff alone? (Preferably in language including a few cool new -isms, so I can pretend to be one of those trendy “activists”)
Maybe, just maybe, taking these nasty active anti-crime measures really isn’t the stupidest invention of the century at all?
Better than kumbaya-singing activism.
A Vagina with teeth?
Sounds like the original vicious circle to me!
There’s a book identified as “Avoid Retirement And Stay Alive”. The concept may be the fact that retirement has no place in modern day society. Should you have the ability to make function pleasurable by balancing it against the other points you would like to try and do, then you definitely can easily reside like you’ve got all of the time inside the globe.
@Jen – thanks for a great article.
i find it interesting that the people that support this ridiculous device are men.
please take time to LISTEN to what the survivors of rape are saying. we WOULD like a solution, but this is clearly not it. this device endangers women more. in that moment, one does not have the strength to fight a person off, let alone one that is now in pain.
an aggressor WILL get more violent, i know (sadly from experience), that a fight will get more bones broken for you.
@haiwa – what a disappointing comment. courts might rank murders for the purposes of sentencing, but in that case, as in rape, it does not take away the fact that a life (that is beloved of some people) has been taken. ranking does not lessen the severity of the crime, both are unacceptable no matter what class you place them in.
I wish there would be a greater focus and interest in protecting women, and not in being right.