As we increasingly rely on digital assistants like Apple’s Siri or Samsung’s S Voice, many question the extent to which these systems should be programmed to respond to crises like rape or domestic assault. For the time being, a recent study finds, they’re scarcely of any use.

The not-quite human voice that emanates from your phone or GPS or other device is, more often than not, female. It's an obvious pattern, and one that many have claimed has a simple technical explanation: Female voices are easier to understand. The only problem is that it's not true.