Recently, the Internet has been up in arms about a new invention: date-rape drug detecting nail polish. Supposedly, this nail polish, which was conceived by four male students at North Carolina State University, changes color when it comes in contact with many common date-rape drugs. One simply puts their finger into their drink and awaits a color change if the drugs are present, effectively preventing them from actually drinking the beverage and becoming a victim of sexual assault/rape.

Many have applauded this invention, heralding it as a clever and effective way to avoid sexual assault. However, a loud majority it seems have criticized it as avoiding the actual problem: rape culture. We live in a society that puts the blame on the victim rather than the rapist. Many feminist critics say that instead of focusing our energy on creating ways to avoid rape as if it’s inevitable, we should be fixing the problem at its source and promoting the idea that rape shouldn’t be happening in the first place.

While I agree wholeheartedly that everyone should be conscious of the ways in which we promote rape culture and work to avoid that, I think it is completely anti-pragmatic to say that it is a waste of time to create things like this nail polish. The fact of the matter is, we can’t stop rape overnight. No matter how much effort we put into stopping this abhorrent trend of date rape, it will take time to lessen it to a degree where inventions like drug detecting nail polishes are not strictly necessary for people’s safety.

I understand the backlash against these inventions. It makes sense that people are sick of treating the symptoms of a problem rather than the problem itself. But to me, it is simply common sense to have things that can help someone feel safer in case something does go wrong one night at the club. We need to continue to instill the idea that rape is wrong and one should never rape someone else, and give people the tools to keep themselves safe in the event that it doesn’t work. The choice to protect oneself can only be made on a personal level, and if someone feels safer going out with drug-detecting nail polish than without, they should have the choice to wear it or not.

The fact that there has even been a vocal backlash against these types of inventions is accomplishing one of the goals that the critics want to achieve: telling people that no one should rape. The backlash has been vital to the story of this nail polish and by even bringing up the criticisms of it, the idea that more needs to be done as long as rape is still prevalent is becoming ingrained in us. And every time a rape prevention object comes out, this response gets stronger.

Whether or not this nail polish actually works is another story and has been a subject of discussion online as of late. But even if it doesn’t, the discussion surrounding its creation is an important one that teaches us that there is still work to be done to end rape culture. In the meantime, there are people out there trying to make things safer for possible victims of rape, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.