Chastity Belt 2.0: Indian Teen Creates High-Tech, Anti-Rape Undies

- Seenu Kumari, from Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh, has come up with a prototype
- She spent less than £50 on the underwear which are both knife and bulletproof
- Garmentsent away for patenting and is hoped to be sold to the wider market
- Rape, sexual abuse and child molestation is a huge problem in Uttar Pradesh

The sexual abuse scandal that recently shook Hollywood and the Time's Up initiative that was founded in its aftermath have certainly contributed toward raising awareness of one of the most serious wrongdoings that women are subjected to. It's not something that's limited within the circles of the American film industry; in fact, it's astounding how common it is and how often it happens. We need only to look at some of the statistics to realize the enormity of the issue.

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According to the United Kingdom's Ministry of Justice, Home Office and Office for National Statistics, one in five women in England and Wales has been a victim of a sexual offense or attempted offense.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, every 98 seconds someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. This is equal to more than 880 people a day. In the U.S. 17,700,000 people have been victims of rape since 1998.

These alarming figures highlight the necessity for taking action. Not only through legal measures, but also by learning some basic self-defense skills and carrying certain items that might be instrumental in protecting oneself.

One such item is the anti-rape underwear.

A woman from India has designed them as an "instant solution" to ward off sexual attacks. The underwear is equipped with GPS and it cost her around $68 to make it.

Sexual abuse and gang rapes are a common occurrence in India. The number of cases of "assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty" in the country is constantly increasing. According to India's National Crime Records Bureau, there were 24,923 rapes in 2012, whereas in 2016 the figures rose to  38,947.

Seenu Kumari, who comes from a poor family living in the city of Farrukhabad in northern India, invented the inexpensive device as a means of protection from sexual crimes. The rape-proof underwear is equipped with a smart lock that can't be opened without a password. It also comes with GPS technology able to send information about the wearer's location to the police or to family members. The pink garment is also bulletproof and cannot be cut with a knife.

"I have put a smart lock that won't open till you insert in the password," Kumari explained for the Daily Mail. "I have also installed an electronic device that is equipped with a GPS and calling facility. When somebody tries to molest a woman, the device will send out messages to the relatives of the victim and also to the police. The cop would be able to arrive at the crime scene following the GPS and foil the rape attempt," she added.

Sexual offense cases are often dismissed for lack of evidence.

However, the Indian teenager has thought of that as well. She installed a video camera in the underwear which will capture and store the identity of the culprit.

"A woman doesn't need to wear this underwear always. She can wear it when she is traveling alone or if she finds a place unsafe. This can help save the woman from wicked men who would try to violate her dignity," the innovator said.

In case of an attack, the woman can press a button on the device and a call will automatically be made to a predetermined number.

Kumari has sent her prototype to the National Innovation Foundation in Allahabad for patenting.

She said, "If we use a better quality of clothing and equipment, it will be ready to use and sold in the market."