NO-CONTACT JACKET, the rape prevention jacket.

Just a few years ago women in Italy were given the right to defend themselves from attack using chilli pepper spray. In truth, the actual effectiveness of this spray is ridiculous when compared to its “big brothers”, sprays containing aggressive chemicals, which criminals throughout the country have been using for years.

In the Italian courts, to legitimise the use of equipment capable of discharging electric shocks on command for self defence purposes, a game has recently been played at the risk of potential victims and the outcome of this game could be equal to nil all. In fact, these “portable electric-shocks” which are quite in vogue among technology enthusiastic robbers, have been declared legitimate only when kept in one’s own home and used for self-defence within the home.

In Boston, engineer Adam Whiton of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and fashion designer Yolita Nugent of Advanced Research Apparel have come up with a jacket (NO-CONTACT JACKET) which, by means of commands situated in the cuffs, can discharge 80,000 volts of electricity onto an aggressor, stunning him.
The rape prevention jacket is made of Aracon, an electricity conducting fibre and it is powered by a nine volt battery. Obviously those who wear it are insulated from shocks, and taking advantage of the stunned state of their aggressor, they can run to safety or call for help.

The garment is available in one colour, black, it is made of waterproof nylon, it is rather close fitting (because it should not be easily removable) and it has zipper closures.
It will be sold initially at an indicative cost of approximately one thousand dollars.

The apparently drastic invention was welcomed enthusiastically in the U.S.A. where self-defence has always been a vital right and where three out of four women are victims of violence.
Who knows whether or not in Italy, where rape incidents are constantly on the increase, women who are forced to walk through downtrodden areas that are forgotten by their cities, will be able to benefit from this invention.
Or if, as usual, after years of discussion and court disputes only a pair of “no-contact panties” will be conceded, with the explanation that “only if the rapist has torn all of the victim’s clothing off, will his intentions be clear and we will not run the risk of excessive self defence”.
We couldn’t possibly risk punishing an enthusiastic groping male too severely, given that they are already an endangered species!

To find out more about the “electric jacket” and to express your opinion on this subject, the inventors have set-up an Internet site: www.no-contact.com

Published on: 26 Jul 2004