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Protection · Dignity · Justice
Protection · Dignity · Justice
Rape-Axe is a female condom fitted with internal retractable barbs. Worn internally, invisible to the attacker — upon forced penetration, barbs latch, causing immediate pain and compelling medical attention, leading directly to identification and arrest.
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Dr. Sonette Ehlers
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"After years of treating rape survivors, I thought: if only there was a device that could stop this. So I built one."
Dr. Sonette Ehlers is a South African medical doctor who spent decades treating survivors of sexual violence. The psychological and physical trauma she witnessed firsthand became the driving force behind her life's most important invention.
Developing Rape-Axe over years of research and iteration, Dr. Ehlers sought not just a deterrent, but a device that empowers women to carry protection silently — without relying on others or the system.
Her invention has been featured in media across the globe and has sparked international conversations about women's safety, bodily autonomy, and justice.
Rape-Axe does not prevent rape by changing behaviour — it prevents rape by changing consequences.
Silent, wearable, internal protection that places real power back in the hands of women — without relying on law enforcement, bystanders, or the restraint of the attacker.
The device is not about revenge. It is about giving a woman the ability to escape, and ensuring the attacker cannot escape justice. The evidence remains attached to the perpetrator.
A three-stage protection system — incapacitate the attacker, give the victim time to escape, ensure identification and arrest.
Inserted like a female condom or tampon. Completely invisible to the wearer and the attacker. No discomfort. Constant, undetectable protection.
Upon forced penetration, internal retractable barbs attach to the attacker's skin, causing immediate intense pain. The device cannot be removed without medical assistance.
The attacker must seek surgical removal — leading directly to identification and arrest. The victim escapes. The evidence remains attached to the perpetrator.
South Africa has one of the world's highest rates of rape. These figures are not abstract — they are the reason Rape-Axe exists.
Every contribution funds production, distribution, and education — getting this device to the women in South Africa who need it most.
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