Personal alarms are one of the best forms of self defense. Now some may say that that's a load of crap because a personal alarm can't actually stop an attacker, and it is true that it doesn't technically have any stopping power. However, my argument is two-fold: Personal alarms 1) are the perfect complement to any choice of self defense weapon with stopping power (pepper spray, stun gun etc...) and 2) will stop a confrontation outright a majority of the time. This being said, I hope you understand that I'm not saying a person armed with a Taser would lose to a person armed with a personal alarm in a Thunderdome-esque battle royale.
I hope the last sentence of the above paragraph gave you some nice imagery. Notice that, instead of what that scenario suggests, I'm arguing that personal alarms are the best form of self defense in another way: They are the most versatile, easy-to-carry (and use), inexpensive, and effective deterrents available. I believe that, for $10, all women should buy one of their choosing. Some attach to key chains; some have flashlights or other added features; and all emit an alarm in the ball park of... well a ball park. That's ~130 decibels at the touch of a button or pull of a string.
How do you use a personal alarm? As alluded to above, there are different kinds, but most are activated by either pushing a button or pulling a safety string. The idea is that you keep it somewhere easily accessible-on your keychain, in your purse, or in your pocket-so that it is easy to activate at a moment's notice.
When do you use a personal alarm? Use it as soon as you feel threatened! Obviously something this loud can cause serious discomfort to your ears, for the time being. But it's not going to be so much that your assailant couldn't physically bear it. The whole point of the alarm is to alert others, or at least make your attacker feel like there will soon be witnesses and people to stop him from what he's thinking about doing.
I mentioned the last sentence before; now I'll briefly get into what tools you can combo your personal alarm with. I am a huge proponent of non-lethal self defense weapons, so I believe every woman should choose her favorite between all the pepper spray, stun guns, and Tasers out there. These have similar stopping power to a.22 pistol, but are easier to carry, quicker to use, and are non-lethal. However, if you just feel more comfortable carrying a gun or knife, then do it! If you feel confident, you will look confident, and it is much less likely you'll ever get attacked in the first place!
Lastly I will mention that different women may prefer different types of personal alarms and self defense weapons in general. As I said above, just pick what you're most comfortable using. But also consider that you may want to carry a personal alarm on your keychain, but have a Taser in your purse, pepper spray in your glove compartment, and a stun gun in your night stand! Take whatever steps are necessary to protect yourself. Protektion Article Source: |
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