Self Defense: What You Can- and Can’t- Do

As much as we like to think cops are always there for our protection, let’s face some basic facts. The police do not, generally, stop personal crimes from happening. They happily show up afterward and collect evidence and such, but if you’ve just been robbed for two grand, raped in a parking lot, or shot and killed, it doesn’t do very much good, does it? That being the case, it’s important to think of what you can do to stop such things yourself, because the cops won’t be there in most situations (not because they’re lazy or they don’t care, but because they simply can’t patrol all areas of all the cities).

I challenge you to find any criminal who would willingly prefer an armed, aware, and prepared target over an unarmed, blissfully ignorant, and unprepared one. Why more people don’t take that into consideration is an ongoing mystery to me. I’m here to help you take advantage of that, and enable you to use various means to defend yourself against would-be criminals.

Let’s start with looking at the various laws that apply here:

Self-defense:

You are allowed, by law, to defend yourself from an attack on your person or property. Now, this doesn’t mean that if someone walks on your lawn or makes an unwanted sexual advance, that you can whip out your .45 and end it all. That’s called murder, and it’s what we’re trying to avoid here. However, if someone is obviously trying to rape you, rob you at knife point in back alley, or if they’re in your home at night coming for you, there’s not many restrictions on what you can do. If a reasonable jury can tell you were acting in self-defense, you can do whatever you need to. This goes up to and including deadly force, if you feel your life is threatened. Your life comes first, so don’t hesitate. Legal ramifications are pointless if you are dead.

Weapons laws: (We’ll get to weapons a little later on)

These tend to vary state to state, so check your state website or contact a local law enforcement officer to find out what kind of weapons you can legally own, whether or not you need permits for them, and concealed carry laws. Some states won’t give concealed permits at all, or only will if you have a very good reason. Other, more gun friendly states, generally will issue one without much hassle. As for knives, there are generally laws concerning maximum blade length and switchblades, although concealing a knife is generally legal. Again these laws are generally at the state level

Now I’ll go over the various devices and weapons that are available to you for self-defense purposes.

Blades:

Generally this means small knives that are easily concealed in the pocket and held in the hand. Attacks generally consist of thrusting rather than cutting motions. They are a cheap and effective close-range force multiplier; it’s very easy to use, legal and reliable. A trained or experienced criminal however can defend against a knife quite well. There is no specific brand here that works the best; a knife is a knife for what we’re using it for. Blades can also refer to swords – but those are largely illegal to walk around with, and impossible to conceal. Stick with small to medium knives, if you feel the need to carry one.

Hand Devices:

This includes collapsible batons, brass knuckles, bats, gauntlets, nunchaku and just about any other blunt instrument. These are almost entirely offensive weapons, and while they require little training to use, they probably aren’t going to work all that well. Plus, who wants to walk around carrying a baseball bat or steel gauntlets? Avoid these.

Electric Stun Devices:

These include electrified batons, contact stun devices, and ranged stun guns, typified by the Tazer brand. These can be effective – but they are also not without controversy. They can be too weak to fully incapacitate an attacker, take several seconds to “down” someone. That said, getting hit with tends of thousands of volts of electricity can’t be fun. I recommend these for use by those with the appropriate training.

Mace:

Mace/pepper spray, when used effectively, can incapacitate an attacker long enough for you to get away. These are legal everywhere, require no permit and little training, and are easy to conceal. There is also no risk of collateral damage or doing unnecessary harm to the attacker. I recommend to everyone.

Guns:

The most effective and lethal devices here, firearms present their own unique difficulties, namely, collateral damage and the possibility of injuring innocent people. Guns take training to use effectively, and if taken by the attacker, can be quickly used against the victim. It’s also very easy to kill someone even when it isn’t necessary, which can void your self-defense status. I recommend these only to high trained individuals who have a high-risk job, who live/work in an exceedingly dangerous area, or those who are known targets for harassment on any number of grounds.

Now all of these devices may sound great, but I have to tell you – relying solely on a weapon for personal defense is a very bad idea. Weapons are only tools, and depend much upon the person using them. They are also mechanical devices which can fail when needed most, and they can impart a false sense of security. The most important yip for personal safety is to be Be Aware:

Be Aware of Your Environment: Where are you going? Are there crime problems in the area? Do you know anybody in the area you could go to for help? Lock your doors and get an alarm installed at home.

Be Aware of Others: Am I being followed? That guy on the subway is looking at me strangely. Why is that van still outside my house?

Make smart choices in your behavior: Don’t park in poorly lit lots. Don’t walk alone at night, or go down dark alleys. Try to go out with friends or in groups. Walk with your cell phone, even if you aren’t talking to anybody. Keep a phone nearby when home alone at night.

Being aware of these things goes a long way towards making you an unappealing target for a would-be criminal. Most are common sense suggestions that, if followed regularly by all, would reduce greatly the rate of violent crimes. These tips, when combined with effective and disciplined use of certified self-defense weapons, will help you stay safe from violent crime. In fact, being smart about with your behaviors and your choices can make all those costly weapons practically unnecessary. So the best advice is: Be Aware!