Reinventing The Chastity Belt
Okay…so here I am, at one of the local coffee shops I frequent, catching up on the news and some reading, when I run across this video and article about a new product that may eventually be on the market. As I watched the fundraising video, I instantly felt the jail doors slam shut between my legs. I was watching an ad for the chastity belt, reinvented. At least that’s what it looked like to me.
The rape proof or anti-rape underwear for women. Really? This is an offensive product to me, as a woman. I suppose I understand the intention behind the garment is good, but I don’t feel that I should have to walk around with my vagina locked in a reinforced skeletal jail cell, out of fear of being raped. We should protect ourselves from the rapists, of course, but I don’t think this is the way to do it.
The two New York women behind AR wear state, “The only one responsible for a rape is the rapist and AR Wear will not solve the fundamental problem that rape exists in our world. Only by raising awareness and education, as well as bringing rapists to justice, can we all hope to eventually accomplish the goal of eliminating rape as a threat to both women and men. Meanwhile, as long as sexual predators continue to populate our world, AR Wear would like to provide products to women and girls that will offer better protection against some attempted rapes while the work of changing society’s rape culture moves forward.”
Hmmmm. So feeling as though we have to protect our genitalia from potential sexual assault or rape is supposed to make us feel safe, secure, and comfortable in our own skin? Not so sure about that.
The makers of this product say it is for protection from such things as first dates, late night jogs, or a night out clubbing. So basically it is protection from stranger rape or assault. I don’t think the creators of AR wear did enough research on rape and who it is that does the raping.
Here are some stats from the RAINN website:
Approximately 2/3 of rapes were committed by someone known to the victim.
73% of sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger.
38% of rapists are a friend or acquaintance.
28% are an intimate.
7% are a relative.
According to the above stats, most rapes are not committed by strangers. So what about the intimate relationship rapes, or the rape that is committed by your friend or co-worker? Or the unexpected assault by the coffee shop barista you say hi to every morning? Or the unknown rapist neighbor you have over for dinner regularly, on the 3rd sunday of every month? Are we suppose to wear this jail gear all day every day to protect ourselves from the ones we trust? It would appear that way, according to the statistics.
It is offensive to me that I would be asked to consider such a product as a safety precaution for myself or other women. It feels barbaric, and frankly, uncomfortable.
What are your thoughts on this. watch the video and tell me your opinion about the Anti-Rape underwear as protection for women against rape.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
