March 14, 2010 by Karleen Lindsey
Criminals target unsuspecting individuals. They are like electricity, taking the path of least resistance. They look for opportune times, vulnerable or weak women. Be in control of your safety, always being alert and aware of your environment, keeping presence of mind, never acting fearful, whether you are young or old, male or female, in good shape or sickly.
If you are ever alone anywhere, which most of us are at some time, it is wise to carry a personal protection device. If someone was approaching you menacingly and you threatened him with a stun gun that was already sending a blue line of electricity between the test probes, he would probably think twice. Pointing pepper spray and yelling “back off” would have the same effect. An assailant doesn’t want to deal with anyone who is going to fight back.
Keeping presence of mind is the passport to protecting yourself in an actual assault situation. Being able to do the right thing in an emergency due to maintaining your self-control is what it means to have presence of mind.
Plan ahead. Be familiar with your choice of protection device. Practice with it and know that you will be able to use it properly in the event you would need it. If you are using a pepper spray, be aware that the wind may blow it back at you, so practice spraying and running in the opposite direction as fast as possible. You don’t want to use up the spray, so maybe spray it once to get the feel of it and then pretend spray until it becomes second nature. The same with the stun gun. Practice until it feels natural in your hand.
It’s easy to tell someone to keep their presence of mind during a potential attack, but when something like that actually happens, it can be quite another thing to actually attain that ability. Sometimes fear wants to take over and it isn’t easy to override it.
That’s why it is so important to practice not only with your self defense weapon, but with your mind. Imagine being startled, having fear envelope you and then practice how you would turn that fear into anger and actions of self protection. Practice with your mind how you would attain self-control and presence of mind in an emergency.
Don’t stop and wonder if you’re making the right decision. You have the right to protect yourself before you are attacked. If someone is thinking of raping you, and he knows the prison sentence if he is caught, he will most likely not be using a weapon. Three to five years prison time is better than fifteen to twenty if convicted of rape with a weapon. So you will have the upper hand if you keep your presence of mind and can put the element of surprise to the would-be assaulter.
You actually have the potential to take control of the situation. If you have practiced with your pepper spray or stun gun and have the presence of mind to turn your fear into anger, your attacker will be very sorry.
You can live a life that is not controlled by fear of the unknown assailant. After making sure pepper sprays and stun guns are legal within the area you live, you will be able to take with you the confidence you need to enjoy life to it’s fullest no matter where you might be. Have the presence of mind to control an emergency situation and the common sense to not leave a weapon where a child can find it. Stay alert, trust your instincts and enjoy the life you have been given with carefree abandon.
Karleen Lindsey would like to see the world be a safer place for women. Her research into pepper sprays and stun guns has shown her they are the best non-fatal self defense weapons for women to confidently carry and use to stop perpetrators in their tracks.
