Nail polish that detects date rape drugs proves controversial

by Lauren O'Neil Posted: August 26, 2014 6:57 PM Last Updated: August 26, 2014 4:05 PM

Categories: Community, Science & Technology

View the story "Nail polish that detects date rape drugs proves controversial" on StorifyNail polish that detects date rape drugs proves controversialStorified by CBC News Community· Tue, Aug 26 2014 19:43:16 AkamaihdThe pervasiveness of sexual assault on American college campuses has been getting quite a bit of attention in recent months, as more and more schools come under investigation for failing to properly handle rape cases on campus.

According to an April 2014 White House report on the U.S. government's "task force to protect students from sexual assault," 1 in every 5 women has been the victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault during college.

Off campus, the problem is equally prevalent: Statistics from the Justice Institute of British Columbia show that one out of every 17 women in Canada is raped at some point in her life — 70 per cent of those attacks committed by a perpetrator who knows the victim.

While the issue of date rape is a complicated one with many factors at play, four American University students are attempting to help alleviate the problem — at least in part — with a new type of nail polish.

That's right, nail polish.

We've joined Instagram! Please follow us... - Undercover Colors | FacebookWe've joined Instagram! Please follow us to show your support and stay updated on our latest developments. http://instagram.com/p/p1rKn0Bf_T/

"Undercover Colors," developed by a group of male undergraduate engineering students at North Carolina State University, is a nail polish that changes colors when it comes into contact with "date rape drugs" such as Rohypnol, Xanax, and GHB.

"With our nail polish, any woman will be empowered to discreetly ensure her safety by simply stirring her drink with her finger," reads the about section of a Facebook page dedicated to the product. "If her nail polish changes color, she'll know that something is wrong."

Tyler Confrey-Maloney, Stephen Gray, Ankesh Madan and Tasso Von Windheim — all students within N.C. State's Materials Science & Engineering program — are billing Undercover Colors as "the first fashion company empowering women to prevent sexual assault."

"Undercover Colors started out as an idea born in my co-founders’ active imaginations," said Madan in an interview with Higher Education Works. "As we were thinking about big problems in our society, the topic of drug-facilitated sexual assault came up. All of us have been close to someone who has been through the terrible experience, and we began to focus on finding a way to help prevent the crime. We wanted to focus on preventive solutions, especially those that could be integrated into products that women already use. And so the idea of creating a nail polish that detects date rape drugs was born."

We're semifinalists for K50 startup showcase! Please follow our application at http://t.co/OoMdHOdWUr http://t.co/Le5WCM5D9tUndercover Colors

While the polish's creators haven't publicly explained exactly how their product works, their prototype and business plan has been impressive enough to secure at least $100,000 so far from investors.

Earlier this year, the team also won N.C. State's LuLu eGames competition, an entrepreneurship initiative that challenges students to design working solutions to real world problems.

As Gizmodo points out, a buzzworthy prototype does not necessarily mean that Undercover Colors will grow into a successful business, but the team appears dead set on making their product come to market — and they've got plenty of support.

"NC State has been invaluable to us," said Madan. "We have been able to use lab space through the College of Veterinary Medicine, which is one of the only locations in North Carolina where we can test DEA Schedule 3 and Schedule 1 drugs. Our main technical advisor, Dr. Nathaniel Finney from the NCSU Chemistry Department, is a world-renowned expert on indicator development and has volunteered his time to help advise us on prototype development."

Highereducationworks

While many around the web seem excited by the innovative product, some are uncertain about the message it sends.

"Women are already expected to work hard to prevent themselves from becoming the victims of sexual assault. They’re told to avoid wearing revealing clothing, travel in groups, make sure they don’t get too drunk, and always keep a close eye on their drink," wrote Tara Culp-Ressler for Think Progress. "Now, remembering to put on anti-rape nail polish and discreetly slip a finger into each drink might be added to that ever-growing checklist — something that actually reinforces a pervasive rape culture in our society."

"Rather than targeting efforts at helping women identify roofies in their drinks" Culp-Ressler continued, "it would likely be more effective to focus on larger efforts to tackle the cultural assumptions at the root of the campus sexual assault crisis, like the idea that it’s okay to take advantage of people when they’re drunk."

Rebecca Nagle, one of the co-directors of an activist group called FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, agreed, writing "The problem isn’t that women don’t know when there are roofies in their drink; the problem is people putting roofies in their drink in the first place."

Why Rape Prevention Activists Don't Like The New Nail Polish That Can Detect Roofiesby Posted on " Why Rape Prevention Activists Don't Like The New Nail Polish That Can Detect Roofies" Share: CREDIT: Shutterstock A group of four college students is taking the media by storm with the development of an innovative nail polish that can detect date rape drugs that have been slipped into young women's drinks.

Others worry that the polish could provide a false sense of security for young women.

"While exact estimates vary, it’s safe to say that plain old alcohol is the substance most commonly used in drug-facilitated rape," wrote Feministing, addressing the polish's creators directy. "Are you at all worried that by overstating the prevalence of date rape drugs, your product might give its users, who are no less likely to become victims of other kinds of sexual assault, a false sense of security? And given that your product only addresses a relatively tiny subsection of the sexual violence in this country, do you have any plans to donate your profits to help protect the remainder of the 18 percent?"

Salon's Jenny Kutner looked at the polish from another angle.

"Tools like Undercover Colors raise questions about the cost of profiting from rape prevention: Is this really a market we should continue to applaud entrepreneurs’ (notably male ones) tapping into?" she wrote. "Or might these resources be better allocated trying to teach people not to rape?"

Many on Twitter are also critical of the message Undercover Colors sends.

I don't think nail polish that detects date rape drugs is "life-saving." Teaching people not to rape is life-savingBree Daviesanyone else think this 'date rape revealer' nail polish is just going to reinforce victim blaming narratives? just me? alright then.Emily hilton@mjblair I get your point, but we don’t need more coasters/nail polish to detect date-rape drugs. We need rapists to STOP RAPING. /endrantheatherDate Rape Nail Polish could so easily be used as a tool in victim blaming; well she wasn't wearing it, obviously she wanted it, etc.Lyndsayon one hand nail polish that reacts to date rape drugs is cool but it yet again shifts the responsibility on to the victim to not get raped@SADGIRLSBOOTYCLUBAs cool as this new date rape-detecting nail polish is, we should still be teaching men to not drug and rape women...Kayla Lavender@sinisterbrain once again putting the onus on the victim. "Well, were you using your anti-date-rape nail polish? No? GUESS YOU ASKED FOR IT"Lorax Of SexOthers have also pointed out the fact that date rape drug-detecting technology is far from new.

Drinksafe technologies has reportedly distributed tens of millions of coasters that change color if a drop of liquid laced with common date rape drugs hit them.

Date rape drug-detecting glasswear and straws have also made headlines in recent years, as has the Canadian-developed Pd.id — a pocket sized date rape drug detector designed to recognize a database of chemical combinations for date rape drugs.

Date rape drug detector seen as way to promote safety, catch culpritsAn Oakville, Ont., man has made it his mission to combat the issue of date rape by creating a device that can detect the presence in drinks of common and highly dangerous drugs. David Wilson came up with the idea for a pocket sized date rape drug detector while talking to female friends who had been attacked.What are your thoughts on date rape drug-detecting nail polish? Would you wear it or give it to a loved one to wear? Weigh in below.

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