When is the best time to administer the program?
The sooner efforts to research feasibility, acquire funding, recruit researchers, and begin prototyping start, the better, and this is why Fall 2021 was chosen as the start time. The following is the initial timeline for development.
Developing a product like this will be a lengthy project. Changes in the timeline will be updated as needed.
Action Items
The earliest action items include:
- Feasibility Research – This includes determining answers to concerns like: Would this device really make dangerous better? What are the best manufacturing means and materials to make a device like this from? What are the legal implications of this project?
- Acquire Funding – Determining and requesting initial sources of money.
- Acquire Lab Space – Beyond using the OSU DAMLabMakerspace
- Determine Lab Materials
- Determine Device Name
Other ongoing action items include:
- Recruit Researchers – At the doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate level. Researchers of all levels of experience can be useful in researching design, production, and marketing tasks.
- Prototyping – Determine what tests the device must pass, and begin the design and redesign process.
- Marketing Research – Determine the best way to for this device to reach the public.
After creating a working prototype, action items include:
- Production Analysis – Determine if current production methods are the most effective they can be.
- Apply for grants – Determine the best methods for the device to expand its influence of safety.
Where will the program take place?
Many OSU organizations have access to the DAMlab Makerspace, where this team could begin development. The Makerspace is an excellent place for 3D printing and a safe space to reconvene. However, typical 3D printing plastics are not safe to insert in the vagina. If working models were made via 3D printing, they would need their own special 3D printer and filament. For this reason, one of the earlier goals of the project is to search for and acquire lab space.
How will it be administered?
The number one priority of this project is to make campus a safer place, not to make money. Marketing research will be performed to find the best avenues to reach the public, but some of our ideas include: online retail, distributing on campus, distributing at fraternities or sororities, and distributing at bar and restaurant bathrooms.
How will it be marketed/politicized?
The product will be marketed as an anti-rape device, and should be advertised with a policy of honesty. Ending sexual assault should be a bipartisan issue and this device should appeal to the general adult population. Part of this production is researching the best ways a device like this can reach the public. For example, some have raised concerns that devices inserted into the vagina (menstrual cups, tampons, etc.) can change someone’s virginity status. Sometimes, this can tear the hymen, but the user can still be a virgin according to the article “Am I still a Virgin If I Use a Tampon” by kidshealth.org. However, this is besides the point as safety should take priority over virginity status. Concerns like this should be anticipated and addressed to reach the widest audience possible.
Recommendations for editing this page:
1. Change “as soon as possible” to some actual time…such as Fall 2021. OR, change the first subheading to “Development Timeline” and skip the date information.
2. Add more to: “At the doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate level.” …to complete research, design, production, and marketing tasks.
3. This sentence is unclear: “not safe at the proximity required.”
4. Instead of “first version” I recommend saying “prototype”.
5. Instead of “The number one priority of this project is not to make money,” use “The number one priority is to make campus a safer place, rather than to make money.”
6. Instead of “product will be marketed as what it is, an anti-rape device,” consider saying, “product will be marketed as an anti-rape device…”
7. Instead of “to the humanity of all.” consider saying, “the general adult population.”
8. Consider removing “Part of this production is researching the best ways a device like this can reach the public.” and adding more detail and statistics about populations that support safer sex and abstinence programs.