A new fashion trend is in the works for all the ladies out there.
The anticipated garments I’m referring to are, of course, the notoriously famous “anti-rape underwear,” deemed to be “wearable protection for when things go wrong” by their creator, AR Wear. The intended goal of the company is to create not only underwear, but a number of clothing items that “can be worn comfortably while still being able to frustrate an assault effectively.”
The items in question are still being designed, but the company hopes to have the first prototype of the anti-rape underwear ready by July 2014.
Despite a number of dissenting voices refuting the idea that the issue of sexual assault can be solved with such items, the company ardently holds to its stance that they’re doing women and girls all over the world a service with their “revolutionary” invention.
Ironically, it’s the very creation of such clothing that in and of itself promotes rape culture, the real source of the sexual violence that’s supposedly being combated.
First, it’s important to note that the company has good intentions behind its invention. The original makers of the product genuinely believe that these garments will create a much safer world for females in general, claiming that they want women and girls everywhere to have “more power to control the outcome of a sexual assault.”
That being said, good intentions do not always lead to good consequences and I’m afraid this rings all too true in this particular situation.
As mentioned above, the very act of creating these clothing items in and of itself is a promotion of rape culture.
For those who are unaware, rape culture is an environment in which sexual violence is prominent and where this phenomenon is excused or tolerated.
Rape culture can be enforced in a number of ways, whether it be through the media or even the use of language.
One major indication of rape culture is the act of teaching women to not get raped instead of taking steps to change the culture that condones it, which is where the production of these fine items comes into play.
The company claims to understand that only rapists should be blamed for rape, but if this were the case, why create these garments in the first place?
Creating these clothing items in the hopes that women will wear them and prevent their own sexual assault is not only idiotic, but detrimental. It sends the resounding message that women have an obligation to not get raped and that, if they do get raped, it’s their fault.
On top of that, most victims of sexual assault know and trust their perpetrators, so it’s highly unlikely that such items will aid in the fight against sexual violence in the first place, as the garments are specifically designed for “situations that cause feelings of apprehension.”
So what happens if a woman does get raped? Will she be further blamed for not wearing a pair of these magnificent rape shields? The message that this well-intentioned company sends about women and rape is highly disturbing.
Creating clothing items in the hopes that they will prevent rape doesn’t solve the deeply ingrained issue of sexual assault in society; rather, it proposes a temporary “fix.”
If we are to combat sexual violence, we need to go to the root of the problem; that is, we need to push for an end to rape culture and its perpetrators.
Offering these sad attempts at the protection of females is not only fruitless, but counterproductive, as these attempts send a message that essentially condones the culture on the whole.
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