To think that women should be allowed to carry CS gas?

[MrsKingfisher]

I know it's classed as a firearm in the UK and we aren't allowed to carry it but isn't it time the law changed to allow women to carry it in order to protect us?

How many more women have to be attacked before we are given the right to protect ourselves?

It’s not lawful to carry acid or other substances to defend yourself:

R v Hopkins [1996] 1 Cr App R(S) 18 – bottle of acid for protection is so serious only custodial sentence appropriate

I was attacked almost exactly a year ago now. I was lucky that I fought back physically and scared him away but let me tell you, you have no idea how you will react. I could easily have freezed and had any weapon turned against me.

It doesn't make it right but there will always be psychos like this who want to rape and or kill women. I was attacked in a posh countryside village as I walked home. Yes it messed me up massively for a while but I slowly built up my confidence to go out again and when I am able to go out for drinks in the evening again I will make sure I get a taxi or stay with friends.

There will always exist people like this unfortunately.

Wow OP that is one terrible idea.

I’d recommend krav maga training for all women. It focuses on quickly breaking any hold then flooring and temporarily disabling an attacker to enable you to run away. Very useful to know what to do if you are grabbed from behind for example. But it needs regular practice to reinforce it and keep up confidence. Knowing you can floor someone twice your size is comforting.

DD did the full course and now volunteers as security at feminist meetings and marches.

Anyone else carry farbgel?

I haven't felt the need to use it yet but it gives me time to get away if I needed to.

I also carry a doorstop as my occupation regularly puts me in empty buildings with strangers.

Terrible idea. Suppose your suggestion actually took effect. And when it becomes widely available and men have it too, what do you suggest then? Women be allowed carry knives, guns maybe?

@Babdoc

I’d recommend krav maga training for all women. It focuses on quickly breaking any hold then flooring and temporarily disabling an attacker to enable you to run away. Very useful to know what to do if you are grabbed from behind for example. But it needs regular practice to reinforce it and keep up confidence. Knowing you can floor someone twice your size is comforting. DD did the full course and now volunteers as security at feminist meetings and marches.

I have always wanted to learn some form of self defence.

It should be taught in schools in my opinion.

Those saying men get attacked too.... they are in the minority! It’s a fact, most murderers, rapists etc are men. I’m afraid to say. So it is irrelevant saying men get attacked too. Obviously both are equally as bad as each other though

I'm utterly disgusted by some of the replies on here. That we should change our behaviours / men are attacked all the time / women attack too......... just wow.

A woman has been abducted and murdered. It's not time to address women's behaviour when walking out about, it's time for men to man the fuck up and stop their mates when they're objectifying women, defriend people who talk about women in an animalistic way, it's time to ensure our sons know how special women are and that they are absolutely the equal of men.

It's time for women to stand with women, and look out for each other, hold each other up and not talk about how we should modify our behaviour.

Being weaker does not mean we should skulk around hiding from all the scary men. We are as entitled to be out at night as they are.

The only thing that will stop this is if men stop attacking and killing women.

I would be scared it would be used against me.

I have been assaulted and I did not react in the way I thought I would. At all.

No.
An Armed officer arrested in connection...
Armed.
Gun>cs.

Where I am from we can have pepper spray. Oddly, I know only one person carrying it. It can spectacularly backfire.
It hurts as fuck.

I don't think it would change anything if I am honest

@Bleughbleughbleugh12

Those saying men get attacked too.... they are in the minority! It’s a fact, most murderers, rapists etc are men. I’m afraid to say. So it is irrelevant saying men get attacked too. Obviously both are equally as bad as each other though

No, on the contrary, young men are more likely to be murdered or attacked in the street than women of any age.

So if we allow women to carry CS gas on the basis of the likelihood of their being a victim, we should allow young men 16 to 24 to carry CS gas, because they’re even more likely to be a victim.

In an ideal world if it was used only in emergency, in an ideal world there'd be no use for it.

I've done 7 years of martial arts and only recently have I developed enough confidence, speed and muscle power to be able to use it effectively.

I know enough to discourage an attacker of roughly my size or a bit larger. The most useful element though is the fitness to be able to run away.

Don’t be silly , in this case of this poor woman in London that’s extremely rare .

I've carried it (well bear spray) when I was being harassed, threatened and stalked in a country where it was allowed.

Then I saw it used a couple of times. It's not a precise weapon. Use it anywhere enclosed or windy and you will think you're going to die not just the perpetrator. People all around the incident are struggling to breathe and need medical attention. Also women with abusive boyfriends, sons and fathers will be forced to hand theirs over and these are exactly the men who will use it.

Same as 'Carry a knife to protect yourself'. We know how that works out. Let alone a gun..

Reading between the lines of the reports, no defence would have helped .

A friend of mine was followed walking home from work at night. Fortunately she happened to pass by a petrol station that that night staff in and they let her in and called the police. She carries deep heat pain relief spray now everywhere she goes as protection.

Terrible idea.

@islockdownoveryet

Don’t be silly , in this case of this poor woman in London that’s extremely rare .

Women aren’t abducted and killed often but they’re harassed and assaulted every single day.

Whether carrying CS gas is a good idea is another matter but don’t minimise what women are saying about not feeling safe. That hasn’t come from nowhere.

It's a dreadful idea which I don't think in practice will make women any safer.

I think there would be a lot of misuse by drunken morons on Friday and Saturday nights, and I mostly by men getting the spray from their partner/female friends.

Our sons are vulnerable too when walking out at night, not just those with daughters. I don't think carrying any kind of spray is wise especially if it gets into the wrong hands. Not too different from carrying a baseball bat - you can be overpowered.

No way. It used to be legal in France. Pickpockets would let it off in the underground to help get away. It's awful in a confined space. Some people would also do it just for a laugh.