First Date Rape Detection Nail Polish Under Development
NORTH CAROLline –
If you could find a product to stop rape, would you do it? What product will you make?
For four male North Carolina State University students—Ankesh Madan, Stephen Gray, Tasso Von Windheim, and Tyler Confrey-Maloney—the product they chose to defend rape victims was nail polish that detects common rape drugs such as Rohypnol, Xanax. , and GHB.
When dipped in the drug-laden drink, the nail polish was designed to change color, giving four college students their product name, Undercover Colors. Disguised Color Facebook page had received almost 100,000 likes by the end of August, with the page calling itself “the first fashion company to empower women to prevent sexual assault”.
Four male students won April 24th North Carolina State Entrepreneurship Initiative with a cash prize of $6,500, enabling them to begin development of their project.
Based on news weekthe youths stated that their mission was to “invent technologies that empower women to protect themselves from [the] heinous crimes and silently permeated [of date rape].” They shared that they had all been near someone who had “went through a horrific experience”, so they focused on finding ways to stop the crime.
While well-intentioned in their pursuit of polish, not everybody agrees that the product will be effective or even appropriate. Maybe columnist Jessica Valenti summed it up critic’s opinion best when he states in Guard“Prevention tips or products that focus on what women are doing or wearing are not only ineffective, but also leave room for victim-blaming if steps are not taken.”
The question certainly arises for the potential consumer when considering a product: how often is a lady expected to use the product? Had he put it on right before a party he had previously judged to be dangerous? Would the average college student or casual woman really use the product, mixing and matching colours with her friends? More importantly, what are the sociological and gender implications of a lady placing herself in a situation where rape could occur; Is this really victim blaming?
These questions may be answered when the product is anticipated to be released, an anticipated timeline that Madan, Gray, Von Windheim, and Confrey-Maloney haven’t disclosed. The Undercover Colors page is a work in progress donation so that the four of them can continue to finance and complete their work. Based on Paperboythey’re still in the early development process.
Source:
http://www.newsweek.com/controversy-over-nail-varnish-date-rape-drug-detector-267126
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/26/anti-rape-nail-polish-stop-rapists
http://www.newsy.com/videos/nail-polish-could-detect-date-rape-drugs/