Sex Fact #153

The mother of a rape victim has invented a female condom that attaches itself to a rapist's penis and has to be surgically removed.

RAPEX is a new product that was developed to empower women to defend themselves against rapists. RAPEX is a device used by women to prevent rape and to identify the rapist. The RAPEX prototype was launched on 31 August 2005, at Kleinmond, Cape Province, South Africa.

The makers encourage women to wear them if they have to travel long distances alone, on a train, working late, going out on a date with someone you don’t know too well, going to clubs, or in any situation that you might not feel comfortable or even just not sure.

The Rapex fits behind the labia and has no strings or anything protruding. A rapist would therefor not be able to see it.

It is inserted with an applicator like a tampon, and removed with the same applicator.

Many people have attacked the invention callin it 'medieval'. The inventor hit back saying 'A medieval device for a medieval deed!'

Stores which stock regular condoms will in future also stock RAPEX.

The device cannot disappear into the body. It fits into the vagina and cannot go past the cervix. Nor can it vanish into the bloodstream or anywhere else.

She says that people who are worried about being killed by the rapist for wearing one should be assured that the discomfort and pain is such, that the rapist would be disabled temporarily, (much worse than a kick in the groin that self-defence instructors teach women!) giving you time to get away and get help.

The device can stay in for upto 24hrs.

It won't cause permanent damage to the rapist if he gets professional help without delay.

However, the rapist will not feel that the Rapex when he first inserts his penis. When a rapist attacks, he looses control of his senses. He will become aware of the device when it is too late.

The makers say the Rapex feels no different to wearing a tampon.

The inventor came up with the idea, after her daughter was raped. She got the idea from the rape-victim who first said “If only I had teeth down there”, to some time later a young man was admitted to hospital for getting his penis caught in his trouser zip and was in excruciating pain.