The comments on Reddit are fascinating, and many are useful, and the comments from women—99 to 1 in favor—are illuminating. Here’s a few:

“I went the first 3:15 waiting for something ridiculous to be said, then finally realized this might actually be serious.”

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”

I think a huge point of this is to stop date rape or rape where the woman is too drunk or unconscious to consent.”

 

“True. And I agree it might make me feel safer in that regard. I think in situations I’ve experienced in the past having these pants on would have been a positive thing. I guess it’s just really really sad to think about. But it’s the same as holding your keys in your fist I guess. Just another trick you use to protect yourself.”

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“What if you got into an accident and paramedics had to cut the shorts?”

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“Trauma shears make short work of things like heavy duty nylon, leather, zippers, seatbelts… even pennies. It is standard for any rescue personnel to be carrying these on their person.

Source: EMT”

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Re: reducing date rape. “There are worries about time. It looks like it’s largely focusing on the clockhand locking mechanism, which would pretty much have to be brute forced if it’s done properly. That can take a lot of time that the rapist isn’t getting any pleasure from, is getting frustrated, and can be caught. The time only goes up if (s)he is trying to cut, tear, etc the bands first.”

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Re: if threatened by assailant: “The video did pretty much address this point when it said:

The product is designed to present a substantial barrier to sexual assault. Studies show that resisting sexual assault lessens the chance of rape taking place without increasing the violence of the attack.

They seem to have carefully chosen their words here. They didn’t say it presents a barrier that is impossible to overcome, just that the barrier is substantial. They didn’t say it stops rape from taking place, just that it lessens the chances.”

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