If you look at any law enforcement officer you'll see a variety of tools ranging from a handgun to handcuffs.  Many of the tools he carries on his utility belt are available for purchase and each serve a valuable purpose.  However, they aren't necessarily the best tools for you and I to carry for self defense.  In fact, if you ask, most law enforcement officers would gladly leave some of those tools behind or substitute them for others.

You could easily spend thousands outfitting yourself with useful self defense tools, weighing down everything but your wallet.  The trick is to have the most effective tools that are easy to carry, and therefore, readily available.  Here are a few I would put at the top of my stack.

1.  Cell phone. If you don't have one, get one.  Even if it is a simple pay-as-you-go phone with only a few emergency numbers.  Plug in the most important numbers and know how to access them quickly.  If you have a smart phone, you'll want to add a navigation application and "Safe Neighborhood" which identifies registered sex offenders on your map.  A cell phone is a great defense tool when you have both time and distance on your side.  It tends to be ineffective when the bad guy has his hands on your throat.

2.  Flashlight. One of the keys to avoiding bad guys is knowing where they are.  Flashlights rule the night. Flashlight technology has come a long way in the last few years.  You can pick up a 3-Watt LED flashlight that puts out a bright 100 lumens and will only set you back $25.  Shining a flashlight in the eyes of a bad guy can disorient him and give you a few needed seconds.  A solidly built flashlight can also be used for striking.  I have several Task Force brand flashlights I picked up at Lowe's for under $25 each.  It is small, solidly built and bright.  I expect this tool to become even brighter and cheaper over the next few years.

3.  Pepper spray. Pepper spray is a medium range weapon, effective from 6-15 feet.  Pepper spray containing Oleoresin Capsicum or OC, produces anywhere from 1 million to over 5 million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).  It comes in everything from foam to shot but most common is a spray stream.  In SC, your pepper spray may contain up to 3/4 oz of pepper spray (the law doesn't say how many containers you can carry).  They make sprayers in the shape of a gun but those are illegal in SC.  Having a higher SHU value will provide the most impact per ounce.  Fox Labs produces a very high quality pepper spray for a bit more but any off the shelf pepper spray is better than none.   Keep track of the expiration dates.  When your pepper spray expires, replace it and use the old stuff for practice (on an outdoor target, not a neighbor kid or your husband).  Pepper spray is by no means the perfect weapon and simply doesn't work on about 10% of the population.  If you carry it, know how to use it.

4.  Kubotan. Kubotans are small enough to fit on your key-chain making them convenient to carry.  They can be used to strike or control an opponent using pressure points.  The muscles of the upper chest, throat and temple are all good targets.  Realize that a strike to the throat with a kubotan could be lethal.  My favorite is the Cold Steel Mini Koga which retails for under $10.  It is made of a lightweight polymer, fits the hand well and can help generate a lot of force easily.

That's it.  All four of those will fit easily in a purse.  The phone is by far the most expensive.  You can purchase a quality flashlight, pepper spray and Mini Koga all for under $50, a very reasonable price to help guard your safety.

But what about...

5.  Handgun. If you'd like to up-the-ante a bit both in cost and effectiveness, it's hard to beat a handgun.  This is a big step in taking personal responsibility for your safety.  A lot of women wouldn't consider carrying a handgun for personal safety but before you dismiss the idea completely, consider your children.  Would you carry one to protect them or to prevent them from growing up without you?  When you consider those stakes, a handgun doesn't seem so radical any more.  If you're considering taking this step, read everything at The Cornered Cat and then talk to Tommy and Lisa Judy at BELT Training.

6. A Stick.  OK, a stick sounds silly but an 18" rattan stick can be extremely effective as a deterrent and in fighting off both bad guys and bad dogs.  You can pick one up for about $10.  They are light weight and very strong.  They are a great tool for joggers.  Another option is a collapsible baton.  They cost twice as much and are a bit heavier but most of them collapse to a purse-carrying size.  The Kali or Escrima stick, used in Filipino martial arts, sends a strong message to stay away.  They are a good deterrent to the would-be attacker.

With any tool, you must learn how to use it and you must practice.  Buying a gun and then not practicing with it does not make you safer.  It makes you more dangerous.

One NOT to use - wasp spray.  Unfortunately, this has been passed all over the Internet as a suitable or even better alternative to pepper spray.  Here's a few reasons why you shouldn't even think about using wasp spray for self defense.  1.  It's never been tested as a self defense weapon.  Effectiveness and side effects could be very hard to predict both for the attacker and for you, should the spray blow back at you.  2.  It is almost always marked with specific limits on its use, frequently listing it as a federal offense to use it for anything other than its intended purpose.  Even if you effectively used wasp spray for self defense you should expect to face both criminal and civil charges.  You survived, now go to jail, and pay your assailant.  That's just not going to happen with pepper spray or a handgun.  DO NOT use wasp spray for self defense.

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505 Gahagan Rd.

Summerville, SC 29485