A Japanese telecommunications company, in an effort to make its predominantly male workforce more supportive of their female peers, has given those men a chance to experience what it’s like to have menstrual pain, according to The Independent.
The pain was generated by a “perionoid” device, developed by researchers at Nara Women’s University and start-up Osaka Heat Cool, which sends electric signals via pads placed in the lower abdominal region to simulate the cramping sensation experienced by women.
As expected, the guys came away with a new appreciation for what women go through during that time of the month.
“It hurts. Oh my goodness!” 26-year-old Exeo employee Masaya Shibasaki says in a video of the experiment obtained by the outlet.
“I can’t stand straight,” notes another employee.
Per the outlet, about 44 percent of women in Japan don’t take any time off during their period even when they are in serious pain, according to a survey by Tokyo consulting firm Deloitte Tohmatsu Group. At least 5,000 people participated in the survey that was conducted in 10 countries from October 2022 to January 2023.