Part1.Ms.LaurenM.

Franks
11
SexualAssaultSafetyStraw

AdvancedMaterials
STEMCommercializationPlan

ElevatorPitch:TheSexualAssaultSafetyStrawallowsmenandwomentofeelsafein
anyatmospherethatcouldpotentiallyinvolvedaterapedrugs.Thisdeviceworksby
detectingaseriesofdaterapedrugs,alarmingtheusertotakecaution.Theusercan
simplybenotifiedofpotentialdangerbythestrawchangingabrightcolorduetothe
simplereactiontothedrugs.


Part2.ExecutiveSummary
Sexualassaultcanhappentoanyone,worldwide.TheSafetyStrawwillprovidea
senseofbeingsafe,providingasubtle,yetobviouswarning,toonlytheconsumer,that
theirdrinkhasbeencontaminatedwithadaterapedrug.Adaterapedrugallows
attackerstosedatetheirvictim,assistingtheattemptofsexualassault.Manyofthese
drugsprovidefeelingsorsymptomssuchasdrowsiness,dizziness,andrelaxation
(RefertoFigure2).Thisproducthelpspreventanddecreasetheoverallhappeningof
sexualassault.
Part3.ProblemStatementandProposedSolution
Sexualassaultisadangertoanyoneandeveryone,worldwide(RefertoFigure
1).Theincreasingnumberofassaultscouldaffect,orhasalreadyaffected,lovedones
includingfamilyandfriends.InasurveyfromtheU.S.DepartmentofFederalJustice,it
showsthatnearlyhalfamillioncollegeagewomenhavebeenraped,andofthose,
about160,000reportedtheassaultwasassistedbyatypeofdaterapedrug(2007).
Havingsomethingassmallandaseasyasastrawcouldeasilypreventagreatdealof
theseattacksfromhappeninginthefirstplace.ThisSafetyStrawwillallowpotential
victimstofeelmoderatelysafeinnaturallyunsafeareassuchascertainbars,
restaurants,homes,andpartyscenesthatareunfamiliar.Whenthestrawcomesin
contactwithanysaiddrug,thestrawbecomesabrightcolor,alertingtheuser/consumer
ofthedangers,possiblywithouttheattackersknowledge.
Part4.STEMConceptsandPrinciples
Productssuchas
UndercoverColors
havebeenmadetodecreasethe
occurrenceofdaterapes(Sullivan2014).TheSafetyStrawwillhavethesamepurpose,
cuttingbackonsuchdangers.Theseproductshavebeenappliedindifferentaspectsof
technologyandengineering.Modifications,adjustments,andenhancementshavebeen
madetosuchdevicestofurtherimprovethepreventionofthesefacilitatedassaults.The
associatedSTEMconceptistheadvancementofmaterials.Thisproducthasnever
beenusedinsuchamannerasconvenientasastraw.Nailpolishandcoloredcupsare

helpful,butnailpolishcomesoffquickly,andthecupsarebigandcaneasilybeseen.
TheSafetyStrawallowsasubtle,yetobviouswarningtoaconsumerthatthedrinkthey
havebeengiveniscontaminatedwithharmfulpoisons.Subtletyisabigissuewhen
alarmingsomeoneofdanger.Ifanattackergetsaggravatedorknowstheirvictimis
awareofwhattheyhavedone,thereisachancetheywillretreatfromtheoriginal
intention.Intheeventthattheydonotbackoff,thevictimcouldbeputtingtheirlifein
furtherdanger.Inconclusion,theSafetyStrawisobviousandcompactforthe
consumersconvenienceandsafety,yetsubtleandnearlyundetectableinordernotto
alerttheattacker.
Part5.CommercialFeasibility
Drugfacilitatedsexualassaultismorecommonthanitshouldbeintheworld.
AccordingtotheU.S.DepartmentofJustice'sNationalCrimeVictimizationSurvey
(NCVS),every107secondsanAmericanissexuallyassaulted.Onaverage,293,066
peoplearevictimizedeachyear(RAINN2009).
Inanattempttodecreasetheseevents,
theSafetyStrawwillprovideasafeandsubtlewaytoalarmtheconsumerthattheir
drinkhasbeencontaminatedbyharmfuldrugs,alsoknownasdaterapedrugs.The
intendedconsumercouldbuythisproductatacommondrugstore,restaurantsandbars
thatchoosetoselltheproduct.TheSafetyStrawisintendedforanymanorwoman
whoisconcernedfortheirwellbeing,orthatofalovedone.Otherproductssuchasnail
polish,cups,andtestingkitshavebeenproducedtotestadrinkforsuchdrugs,and
suchcompaniesshouldbeconsideredcompetitorsduetothegreatadvantagethey
have(RefertoFigure3).Suchadvantagesincludethethereliabilityofcupsandkits,
andtheconvenienceofnailpolish.WiththeSafetyStraw,theconsumerisgiven
convenience,reliability,anddurability(RefertoFigure4).Noproduct,suchasthe
SafetyStraw,hasbeenregisteredbytheU.S.Patent&TrademarkOffice.Thisproduct
couldbesoldinstores,restaurants,bars,amongothers,andcouldlikelyimprovethe
businessofthecompany.Theproductcouldalsoeventuallybeboughtbyparentsto
givetochildrenwhocouldbeinapotentiallydangeroussituationorarea.Aninference
hasbeenmadethatiftheusageofthisproductinplacesofbusinesswere

acknowledgedbythepublic,thepeoplemayfeelmoresafeinsaidplaces,therefore
increasingbusinessforthecompany.Thousandsofpeoplevolunteer,workfor,and
supportrapecrisiscentersandcharities.Peoplemayinvestintheideaofanattemptto
dialdowntheseassaults,evenrestaurantandstoreowners,duetothepossible
decreaseofoffendersboggingdownandscaringawaytheirbusiness.Itwas
determinedthatrevenuestreamswillcomefrominitialdonationsandgrowfromthat.
Researchandoperating/testingcostsofthechemicalstructurewillalsobeneededand
thereforebedeterminedbytheoperatorsandscientists.Itisunderstoodthatstartup
costsarenecessary,butare,atthispoint,undeterminablebytheteam.
Part6.Science&TechnologyProofofConcept
Extensiveresearchhasbeendonetoprovideinformationontheeffectsofdate
rapedrugs.Manyofthesedrugshavebeenknowntocauseeffectssuchas
drowsiness,dizziness,andnausea(MedicineNet2014).Thesesymptomscaneasilybe
confusedwithbeingdrunk,aconclusionwasmadethattheattackermaybeabletoplay
offthattheyarehelpingtheirvictimhome.Alongwiththesesymptoms,prolonged
exposuretothesedrugscancauseaddiction,comas,andpossiblybefatal.Scientists
andlawenforcementhavebeenexperimentingwithvariouswaystodecreasethe
possibilityoftheseattacksfromhappening(AssociatedPress2010)Thestudentin
chargethoroughlybelievesthatintheeventofproductexposure,theSafetyStrawwill
becomeawellsellingitemandcouldpossiblybesoldinmanystores,bars,and
restaurants.AconclusionhasbeenmadethataninitialprototypeoftheSafetyStraw
willnotbearealstraw,butessentiallyatubewithreactingchemicalstochangethe
colorofthestraw.
Part7.Acknowledgements
Variousresearchersandscientistshavecontributedtotheoutcomeofthis
productandhaveprovidedmuchinformation.Inaddition,themanyvolunteersand
assistantsatrapecrisiscentershavebeenagreatencouragementtothisresearch.

Figure1(UnitedNationsOfficeonDrugsandCrime)

Figure2(CreatedbyLaurenFranks)

CommonlyUsedDateRapeDrugs
NameofDrug
Phencyclidine[PCP]
(Cesar).

GBL[GHB]
(MedicineNet).

IntendedUse

SideEffects

Relaxation,drowsiness

Agitation,anxiety

Confusion,paranoia

Nausea,vomiting

Delusions

Verbalincoherence

Causesaeuphorichighand

Lethargy

hallucinations

Seizures

Lossofbowelcontrol

Agitation

Drowsiness

Verbalincoherence

Syntheticdissociativedrug

Ketamine(Whitten
2006).

Distortsperceptionofsightand

Dizziness

soundandproducesfeelingsof

Confusion,hallucinations

detachment

Disorientation

Dissociativeanesthetic

Unconsciousness

Lossofbodycontrol

Seizures

Drowsiness,dizziness

Verbalincoherence

Coordinationdifficulty

Tiredness

Blurredvision

Itisacentralnervoussystem

Lasts28+hours

depressant.

Increasedbloodpressure

Sedative

Musclerelaxation

Dizziness,confusion,drowsiness

Unconsciousness

Nausea

Hallucinations

Anxiety,paranoia

Dehydration

Exhaustion

Increasedbodytemperature

Increasebloodpressure

Nausea

Blurredvision

Alprazolam[Xanax]

Treatsanxietyandpanicdisorder

(PDRHealth).

Flunitrazepam
[Rohypnol](Cesar).

Ecstasy(Cesar).

Stimulantandhallucinogen

Figure3(MartaKierkus
)

Figure3(CreatedbyLaurenFranks)

Part8.Citations

Kilpatrick,D.,Resnick,H.,Ruggiero,K.,Conoscenti,L.,&McCauley,J.(2007,February1).
Drugfacilitated,Incapacitated,andForcibleRape:ANationalStudy.RetrievedFebruary
23,2015,from
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/219181.pdf

Kierkus,Martha(11September,2009).NailPolishWontStopDateRape.RetrievedMarch20,
2016,from
http://thefulcrum.ca/opinions/nailpolishwontstopdaterape/

Sullivan,G.(2014,August26).Studentsdevelopnailpolishtodetectdaterapedrugs.
Retrieved
February23,2015,from
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morningmix/wp/2014/08/26/studentsdevelopnail
polishtodetectdaterapedrugs/

Whitten,L.(2006,March1).EducateYourself:Drugs.RetrievedFebruary23,2015,from
http://mcwell.nd.edu/yourwellbeing/physicalwellbeing/drugs/rohypnolflunitrazepam/

DateRapeDrugsSymptoms,Causes,TreatmentWhatdothedrugslooklike?
MedicineNet.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary23,2015,from
http://www.medicinenet.com/date_rape_drugs/page2.htm

AssociatedPress.(2010,February24).Daterapedruguseontherise,U.N.warns.Retrieved
February23,2015,from
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/35559263/ns/healthsexual_health/t/daterapedruguserise
unwarns/#.VOqvQXzFSo

CESAR.(n.d.).Ecstasy.RetrievedFebruary23,2015,from
http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/ecstasy.asp

CESAR.(n.d.).Flunitrazepam(Rohypnol).RetrievedFebruary23,2015,from
http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/rohypnol.asp

CESAR.(n.d.).PCPRetrievedFebruary23,2015,
from
http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/pcp.asp

PDRHealth.(n.d.).Xanax(Alprazolam)SideEffects,Dosage,Uses,Interaction.Retrieved
February23,2015,from
http://www.pdrhealth.com/drugs/xanax

RAINN(n.d.).HowOftenDoesSexualAssaultOccur?RetrievedMarch20,2015,from
https://rainn.org/getinformation/statistics/frequencyofsexualassault

UnitedNationsOfficeonDrugandCrime(n.d.)RapeataNationalLevel.RetrievedFebruary
23,2015,from
www.unodc.org/documents/dataandanalysis/statistics/crime/CTS12_Sexual_violence.xl
s