Rape trap designed for South African women sparks debate

Swedish scientist Sonette Ehlers publicly debuted her patented Rapex device in Western Cape, South Africa on Aug. 31. The invention looks very much like a hollow tampon and is inserted inside a woman’s cervix. On the other end of the device are microscopic hooks that are meant to attach to a man’s genitalia, if and when he attempts to sexually assault the woman. Ehlers states that Rapex can only be removed by a medical doctor, thus forcing the assailant to surrender himself to the authorities.

Although Rapex has only recently debuted and will not be readily available to consumers until next year, Ehlers is already facing enormous criticism. Charlene Smith, a well-known journalist and feminist, asserted, “You will get a higher rate of women getting killed. We don’t need these nut case devices by people hoping to make a lot of money off of other women’s fear.” The key question then becomes, is sexual assault an ungrounded fear for South African women? Sadly, the answer is no.

Out of an estimated 1.5 million South Africans who are raped every year, only 50,000 of these victims press charges. South Africa is considered to have the highest rate of sexual assault in the world, which has serious emotional and physical repercussions for its people. The combination of silence and the frequency of the crime, contributes to South Africa’s alarming rate of HIV/AIDS infections, along with other STDs.

While mindful of the growing problem in South Africa, critics assert that Rapex is “regressive” and goes back “to the days of the chastity belt.” Ehlers continues to support her invention, despite its mixed reviews

“[There are] so many things that need to be addressed before and after it happens.,” remarked Kathleen Passante, a nurse at Baldwin. Indeed, there are several questions about the product that critics, journalists, and even Ehlers have yet to ask or answer.

It seems as though such a device would be uncomfortable to wear all of the time, and to truly protect herself a woman would have to wear it constantly. Even if the Rapex is safe to use, Ehlers has not provided any physical studies or data that shows it works properly against an attacker. There is the also fact that nearly 75% of rapes in South Africa are gang rape; once the device penetrates one attacker, the woman is still vulnerable to attack, maybe even more so as the other assailants might become angry at their cohort’s injury. These issues are important to women’s empowerment, health, and safety and Ehlers should consider and discuss these issues with potential customers.

Initially, Rapex sounds like a great innovation to women’s health, equal to birth control or legalized abortion. But the more discussion there is of the device, the more drawbacks are revealed to exist. It seems that there are more health and safety risks than possible benefits to empowerment and justice. While something must be done to eradicate this terrible problem in South Africa—and the rest of the world—the rape trap does not seem to be the answer.