Personal Security in Large Cities
Personal security is something everyone has on his or her mind. Living in New York City, I am increasingly prone to thinking about my personal security, what with hundreds of people whipping by me at any given time. The chance of having your personal security threatened is few and far between. But when it is, are you prepared? There are several ways of protecting your personal security when you are out in public, ranging from pepper spray to pocketknives. Of course, one would not suggest that you carry these items out in the open, but having them on your person is never a bad idea. In terms of pepper spray, there is a huge range of different types to choose from, as well as different prices. For example, defendingwomen.com offers a "Pepper gun" which actually shoots pepper spray as opposed to spraying it ($47.66). A new creature of pepper spray is called pepper gel, found at preventsecurity.com. This pepper gel completely covers an assailants face with a pepper spray like gel ($18.95-26.95).
As
a former Lieutenant with a State Police post I highly suggest having pepper
spray, especially in you purse for women. Women are the greatest population to
be mugged or assaulted because they are often seen as weaker or will not put up
a struggle. However, with pepper spray in your purse, you can prove that mugger
wrong when he is surprised with pepper spray in his face. Other than pepper
spray, I suggest carrying a pocketknife on your key chain. While this small
piece of metal may not seem like much, it is just enough to make an assailant
back off. If someone attacks you, a pocketknife can be inserted to an
assailant's thigh or forearm. This wound will not harm them, but will startle
them enough that they will back off and give you enough time escape.
My last piece of advice to ensure your personal security is to take a couple of lessons in karate or another form of self-defense. I'm not saying to go out and become a black belt, but having a couple moves ingrained in your head will help you should someone attack you. In today's world, we can feel completely safe in an environment we are familiar with. While that sense of security is great, it is often a facade. Having tools to protect yourself at all times are necessary in today's world, whether you use them or not. For all you know, you may have to defend another person who does not have a pocketknife or pepper spray or even know how to defend him or herself. What it comes down to is this: research places that sell pepper spray. Talk with the sales associate or website owner about which pepper spray will be best for your uses. Though I worked for a State Police post, I still carry civilian-grade pepper spray on my person at all times. It is small, compact, and very light. I also have a pocketknife on my key chain, which I even use to open mail. It won't collect dust, I can guarantee that. And I also took some lessons in karate, just to be safe. I may be strong, but you never know what will happen tonight or tomorrow. Long story short, protect yourself; invest in some very inexpensive methods of personal protection.