Apparatus for shielding and protecting the pelvic and crotch area of a human female

Apparatus for shielding and protecting the pelvic and crotch area of a human female, said apparatus comprising a rigid, inflexible shield member of unitary construction to be placed between the wearer's legs and extend upwardly therefrom at the front of the wearer's body, said shield member comprising rigid first and second integral shield elements fixed in position relative to each other and having adjoining inner surfaces defining a fixed interior angle therebetween, said first shield element being elongated and having a generally uniform width along substantially the full length thereof and said second shield element including a terminal end remote from said first shield element and side edges leading to the terminal end, said side edges diverging away from one another in the direction of said terminal end, said apparatus additionally comprising means for engaging the front of the wearer's body to resist upward movement of said second shield element and absorb shock when an external force is applied to said apparatus, said second shield element including a central portion and pair of tab members disposed in opposition to one another and at least partially defining said side edges, said tab members being rigid and comprising said means for engaging the front of the wearer's body, each of said tab members have a tapered side wall projecting inwardly toward said wearer's body when said apparatus is being worn, said side walls extending between said said first shield element and the terminal end of said second shield element and tapering outwardly in the direction of said terminal end, said second shield element inner surface including a central portion inner surface and tab member inner surfaces, said central portion inner surface being planar, and said tab member inner surfaces being planar and diverging away from each other in the general direction of the wearer's body with said central portion inner surface defining obtuse angles with each of said tab member planar inner surfaces, said tab members when engaging the wearer's body maintaining at least some of said central portion inner surface spaced from the wearer's body.