Dr. Sonnet Ehlers produced Rape-aXe, a female condom with jagged teeth, in an effort to cut down on sexual offenders in South Africa, a country with one of the worst rape rates within the world. The doctor, who is fed up after watching floods of rape victims pouring in, will be giving away thousands of the “condom with teeth” devices during the World Cup./p>
Rape in South Africa
Non-governmental organization CIET Africa conducted a survey ten years ago that showed just how bad sexual violence is in South Africa. About 4,000 women were questioned within the survey, with one in each 3 admitting to are a victim of rape over the previous year. More than 50,000 cases are reported to authorities each and every year, as outlined by BBC News. That figure, however, is only a fraction of the actual number of assaults against women.
The latex condom with teeth
CNN reports the latex condom with teeth is inserted by women just like tampons. Lined inside the device are rows of jagged teeth-like hooks that latch on to a man’s penis upon penetration. Dr. Ehlers said that once the machine is hooked on, only a specialized doctor can remove it. She hopes it will help cut down on sexual violence.
“It hurts, he cannot pee and walk when it’s on,” stated Ehlers. “If he tries to remove it, it will clasp even tighter… however, it doesn’t break the skin, and there’s no danger of fluid exposure.”
Cutting down on sexual violence
Dr. Sonnet Ehlers is planning to distribute 30,000 of the female condoms with teeth — Rape-aXe — for free. The latex machine will then sell for $ 2 each as soon as the trial period is over. Ehlers, a mother of two, said she even visited various prisons to speak to convicted rapists to find out whether such a preventative tool would have made them reconsider their actions. A number of them said it would have.
Further reading
CNN
cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/06/20/south.africa.female.condom/index.html
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