Terms of
Use.

Section 01

Acceptance of terms

By accessing or using the website at rapeaxe.co.za (the "Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms") and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Rape-Axe (Pty) Ltd ("Rape-Axe", "we", "us", "our"), a company incorporated under South African law.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Site after any modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

Section 02

About the Site

The Site provides information about the Rape-Axe anti-rape device, its inventor Dr. Sonette Ehlers, and related initiatives concerning women's safety, gender-based violence, and personal protection in South Africa and internationally.

The content on the Site is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing on this Site constitutes medical, legal, or professional advice of any kind.

We make reasonable efforts to ensure that the information on the Site is accurate and up to date, but we make no representations or warranties of any kind regarding the completeness, accuracy, or reliability of any content.

Section 03

Medical disclaimer

The Rape-Axe device is not a substitute for emergency medical attention. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence:

• Call the SAPS emergency line: 10111
• Contact the 24-hour GBV helpline: 0800 428 428
• Visit your nearest Thuthuzela Care Centre or emergency medical facility

You should consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any medical or protective device. We accept no responsibility for any harm arising from the use or misuse of the Rape-Axe device or from reliance on information provided on this Site.

Section 04

Intellectual property

All content on the Site — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, video, audio, and the overall design — is the property of Rape-Axe (Pty) Ltd or its licensors and is protected by South African and international intellectual property law.

The Rape-Axe device is protected by registered patents. Unauthorised reproduction, manufacture, or distribution of the device or its design constitutes patent infringement and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

You may not:

• Reproduce, copy, or redistribute any content from the Site for commercial purposes without our prior written consent;
• Use our trademarks, logos, or branding without written permission;
• Modify or adapt any Site content without authorisation;
• Scrape, harvest, or systematically extract data from the Site.

You may share links to the Site, quote limited content for journalistic or educational purposes with attribution, and print pages for personal non-commercial use.

Section 05

Acceptable use

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of others. You must not:

• Use the Site in any way that violates any applicable local, national, or international law or regulation;
• Transmit any unsolicited or unauthorised advertising or promotional material;
• Knowingly transmit any data that contains viruses, Trojan horses, worms, or other malicious code;
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Site or its related systems;
• Use the Site to harass, threaten, or harm any individual or group;
• Impersonate Rape-Axe, its staff, or any other person or entity;
• Engage in any conduct that disrupts or interferes with the normal operation of the Site.

We reserve the right to restrict or terminate access to the Site at our discretion if we believe these Terms have been violated.

Section 06

Donations

Donations made through the Site are processed by a third-party payment provider. By making a donation, you confirm that:

• You are authorised to use the payment method provided;
• The information you submit is accurate and truthful;
• You are making the donation voluntarily.

All donations are final and non-refundable except in cases of proven fraudulent processing error. If you believe an error has occurred, please contact us at donate@rapeaxe.org.za within 14 days of the transaction.

Rape-Axe is committed to using donations for the advancement of women's safety and the distribution of the Rape-Axe device. We do not provide Section 18A tax certificates at this time; please contact us if this is relevant to your situation.

Section 07

Third-party links

The Site may contain links to third-party websites, including partner organisations, crisis support services, and media outlets. These links are provided for your convenience only.

We have no control over the content of third-party websites and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Rape-Axe of the linked website or its content.

When you access a third-party website via a link on our Site, you are subject to that website's own terms and privacy policy.

Section 08

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by South African law, Rape-Axe, its directors, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from:

• Your use of, or inability to use, the Site or its content;
• Any errors or omissions in the content of the Site;
• Unauthorised access to or alteration of your data;
• Any third-party content or conduct on or accessed through the Site;
• Any decision made or action taken in reliance on information provided on the Site.

The Site and its content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

Section 09

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Rape-Axe and its directors, employees, agents, and partners from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses — including reasonable legal fees — arising out of or in connection with:

• Your use of the Site;
• Your violation of these Terms;
• Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property or privacy rights;
• Any content you submit or transmit through the Site.

Section 10

Governing law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or your use of the Site shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of South Africa. We encourage you to contact us in the first instance to seek to resolve any dispute amicably before resorting to legal proceedings.

Section 11

Changes to these terms

We may revise these Terms at any time by updating this page. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect when changes were made.

Where changes are material, we will endeavour to notify regular users — for example via a notice on the Site's homepage. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

We encourage you to review these Terms periodically to stay informed of any updates.

Section 12

Contact us

If you have any questions about these Terms, or if you wish to report a concern about content on the Site, please contact us.