Stun Guns and Pepper sprays: Merits and Demerits

Personal safety has become such a fundamental part of our day-to-day lives. It is an unsafe world out there. Violence and crime are on an all time high, be it in a metropolitan city or in a small town. In situations like these one cannot expect to find instantaneous help from security guards or the cops. It is thus better to keep yourself equipped with materials that would help you get rid of the unwanted elements of the society. It is wiser to take immediate steps to protect ourselves rather than be vulnerable to these attacks and give in to physical injury or loss of valuables.

The equipment used more frequently these days for self defense is stun guns and pepper sprays. This also proves to be a huge boon to women who lead single lives and have to travel at unusual times of the day. These women are the major target of groups that employ themselves in unscrupulous crimes like rapes and even gang rapes. Stun guns and pepper sprays are the most famous handy self defense gadgets which are readily available in the market. Moreover, we also can make our own stun guns at home.

A stun gun is an equipment that immobilizes the assailant. It transfers high voltage current onto the body of the attacker. Although the amperage in the stun gun is considerably low, it does not cause any permanent damage to the attacker. The stun gun is ideally aimed at the muscular parts of the body like the buttocks, thigh, and shoulders. The basics of a stun gun includes the passage of current via the muscles at a high pulse rate thus causing the muscles to work quite fast and lose out all the energy also reducing the blood sugar. As a result of energy loss, the muscle movements signaled by neurological impulses get interrupted thus causing disorientation in the attacker getting him confused and shocked for a few minutes. Interestingly enough, the stun gun user does not receive any shock even if they touch the attacker after giving the shock. The advantage of a stun gun is that you can be rest assured it does not cause any permanent effects and is not deadly. It does not even affect the vital organs of the body like the heart. They come in varying shapes and sizes. The most modern stun guns are compact and easy to carry. They are sometimes manufactured in the shape of a lipstick, cell phones, lipstick, flashlight, penlights, and so on. They also have power options. However, stun guns can prove to be dangerous to people with poor heart conditions. Stun guns have a disadvantage of being misused by the bad guys themselves or by kids on innocent people for cheap fun.

Pepper spray is yet another effective but safe self defense equipment that is frequently used against ill-doers. It is a canister that contains a derivative of cayenne pepper. It is stored in an oil based solution. It causes a sting in the eye and the skin and may cause temporary blindness. It also affects the nasal cavity and the mouth. The application of the pepper spray results in the occurrence of swelling and inflammation and gives rise to severe burning sensation. Pepper sprays are comparatively safer than gases or mace that can cause permanent irreparable damage. The only precaution to be taken is that the nozzle of the can is facing the right direction. Also one needs to be really alert and must have presence of mind in order to rightly take advantage of a pepper spray. Sometimes people under heavy drugs do not get affected by pepper sprays. This works at our disadvantage. It is imperative to know other self defense techniques and not depend on just the pepper spray. An attacker under the dose of drugs may show reactions but may not feel the pain and instead might grab the can from your hands and use it on you. Improper use of pepper spray may even land you in jail. It should be kept far away from the reach of children.