We’ve all heard the famous saying, “It’s better to be safe than sorry”. Sometimes, we thought hard after hearing it, wondering how we could be safer and sometimes we’ve rolled our eyes and told our parents to leave us alone. However, safety can never be ignored, especially in the times we live in. Every single day we hear or read a new story about a woman being molested, harassed or worse, and it shakes us to our core. Safety has never been more important, and as women, we need to do everything we can to protect ourselves. We recently had a conversation on Girl Tribe by MissMalini discussing the essential safety items women carry to protect themselves and it was insightful. Here are some things women carry to protect themselves and you should too.
8 Essential Things Women Carry To Protect Themselves From Assault:
1. Pepper Spray
The age-old classic pepper spray is a magical weapon. It’s excruciatingly painful and can be used from a distance too. Many women carry it to protect themselves. It’s easy to carry and easier to use. However, it may end up irritating your eyes too, so please be careful about that!
2. Taser
Nothing says, “don’t mess with me” like a good old electric shock. Tasers are one of the most common self-defense weapons that women carry and they work wonders. It takes a single button to send mini lightning bolts down an attacker’s body. They won’t dare to come near you, or any other woman ever.
3. A Sharp Pencil
A sharp pointed pencil is extremely painful, if used right. It’s an underrated weapon and can be used to protect yourself from anyone who wants to harm you. It’s easy to carry, especially into areas which don’t allow pepper sprays and tasers. The key is to keep it sharpened at all times!
4. Swiss Knife
The most multi-faceted tool, the Swiss Knife is famous for being an all-in-one survival kit. Right from having a corkscrew, tweezer, scissor to screwdrivers, it is very handy. The best part is, it has many blades and pointed extensions that can seriously injure someone (we’re talking bloody injuries). They’re the size of a finger and can be used to fend off any sort of assault very effectively. And, they make you feel super cool and independent, which is always a plus.
5. Folding Baton
Folding batons or rods are very effective in fighting off an assault. They’re easy to carry (they can easily be attached to your keys), they’re long-lasting and if you’ve ever swung a cricket bat or played badminton, you already know how to use it. Most important of all, they hurt. So very badly. One hit between the legs of your assaulter, and he’ll be on the ground… for hours.
6. GPS Tracker
Carrying a designated GPS tracker can be extremely helpful. It is always recommended to share your location using phone applications, but in event something happens, your phone can break, fall out or even be deliberately switched off or destroyed. A GPS tracker is very handy in such situations. They can be sleek and be attached to your clothes, wallet or even your shoes.
7. Whistle
Nothing spooks an assualter more than a deafening, loud, whistle that can attract attention to his act. Whistles can be as small as a thumb and must be carried by all women. The instant you feel someone is about to assault you, use it as your cry for help!
8. Basic Self-Defense
While this isn’t something that can be carried, it is essential to fight off any sort of assault. All women need to know basic self-defense techniques. Knowing how to get out of choke-holds, injuring men where it hurts and knocking someone out are just some things we need to learn. The best part is, these can literally learnt off YouTube! So please get to it ASAP and become a milder, but equally deadly version of a Charlie’s Angel.
What do you carry to be safe? Share it with us in the comments below!
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