New anti-rape female condom, Rape-axe, debuts at South Africa's World Cup

By Joe Tacopino

DAILY NEWS WRITER
Sunday, June 20th 2010, 11:28 AM

A South African doctor has developed a new female condom that she hopes will combat rape in the most painful way possible. Dr. Sonnet Ehlers has invented Rape-axe, a female device with jagged hooks that latch onto a man's penis during penetration.


The doctor is distributing 30,000 of these condoms in South Africa during this year's World Cup.
"It hurts," Ehlers told CNN. "He cannot pee and walk when it's on.  If he tries to remove it, it will clasp even tighter."

South Africa has one of the highest rape rates in the world, according to Human Rights Watch. It is also believed that 16 percent of the population is living with HIV.

Rape-axe is inserted like a tampon and when embedded to a man the device can only be removed by a doctor. Some have accused Ehler of creating nothing more than a new-age chastity belt.

"It not only presents the victim with a false sense of security, but psychological trauma," said Victoria Kajja, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Uganda. Burt Ehlers said that she had taken the proper research and development steps before launching the product.  "I consulted engineers, gynecologist and psychologists to help in the design and make sure it was safe."  she said.

Ehlers also pointed out how women take extreme measures such as placing razor blades in their nether regions to prevent rape in South Africa.

Guegcia/Getty

"I believe something's got to be done," she said. "This will make some men rethink before they assault a woman."