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?

I thought men were 4x more likely to be attacked by a stranger but women were much more likely to be attacked by a partner?

If so, what's the point of only women being allowed to carry it in public? They'd be better off having it at home, but presumably there are many other things which could be used for self defence at home.

Seven minutes before someone says "not all men" or women do it too shit pops up even though the OP never once implied all men want to hurt women or even suggested that women don't hurt anyone.

I've seen it all over the last few days but it happens whenever a woman tries to discuss violence against women. I've never seen a thread where it doesn't happen. Why do people do that? Do they also go on threads where men discuss male issues and how to improve things like male suicide rates for example and tell them they are over reacting because women end their own lives too? Id hope not.

Is it that some people mistakenly think statements like "majority of sexual offences are committed by males" are the same as saying "majority of males commit sexual offences" or something?

There's ways of disagreeing about carrying CS gas without the not all men stuff.

@D0ntAtMe

Seven minutes before someone says "not all men" or women do it too shit pops up even though the OP never once implied all men want to hurt women or even suggested that women don't hurt anyone.

I've seen it all over the last few days but it happens whenever a woman tries to discuss violence against women. I've never seen a thread where it doesn't happen. Why do people do that? Do they also go on threads where men discuss male issues and how to improve things like male suicide rates for example and tell them they are over reacting because women end their own lives too? Id hope not.

Is it that some people mistakenly think statements like "majority of sexual offences are committed by males" are the same as saying "majority of males commit sexual offences" or something?

There's ways of disagreeing about carrying CS gas without the not all men stuff.

Ok, let me ask you a question.

If somebody stated that we need to focus on police violence against white males, how do you think people would respond?

Do you honestly not think somebody would mention police violence against black males? If they did, would this also be whataboutery in your eyes?

No way, I have seen far far more women on women cat fights and women smashing blokes than I ever have men beating on women. If any of those women had a cs-spray etc etc they would have used it to blind permanently their victim.

I see your point OP but if you carry a weapon there’s always a quite a high risk I believe, that your own weapon is used on you by your attacker.

This really isn't the solution.

If somebody stated that we need to focus on police violence against white males, how do you think people would respond?

Do you honestly not think somebody would mention police violence against black males? If they did, would this also be whataboutery in your eyes?

That’s not even close to being a valid analogy, though, is it?

@MrsKingfisher

I know it doesn't work on everyone but if it gives you enough time to disarm an attacker and run.

Maybe self defence for women should be more widely offered, perhaps girls in schools should be taught. Not enough is done to protect women from being attacked.

I was sexually assaulted. I was very sick or weak at the time physically, so couldn't fight it. After a few months, I signed up to a Self Defence class for women as I felt like it was my fault that I wasn't strong enough to stop it. It was a man who was the instructor, but his main tactics were to teach us to to get free enough to be able to run away. He also focused a lot on our fitness, so that we could in fact run. Women are so vulnerable.

What ever you carry, could be used as a weapon against you.

What we need is education and tough sentences against crimes against women and girls

@Angel2702

What’s to stop it being used against them first though?

This. There's too much risk of it going wrong, IMO.

They can carry guns in the USA. Hasn't stopped male violence. It's even worse over there.

@lojojomo agreed. I'm American and grew up in NYC. We all had self defense training, whistles, key rings, some of us carried pepper spray... it doesn't work. It's not hard to overpower someone who is scared and physically weaker and any "weapon" at that point can be used against you.

IMO the only thing that will make a difference is a change at the social and cultural level whereby we all demand better of men, and men's role in society changes. Men need to step up here. Pepper spray wont change a thing

Seven minutes before someone says "not all men" or women do it too shit pops up even though the OP never once implied all men want to hurt women or even suggested that women don't hurt anyone.

I've seen it all over the last few days but it happens whenever a woman tries to discuss violence against women. I've never seen a thread where it doesn't happen. Why do people do that? Do they also go on threads where men discuss male issues and how to improve things like male suicide rates for example and tell them they are over reacting because women end their own lives too? Id hope not.

Is it that some people mistakenly think statements like "majority of sexual offences are committed by males" are the same as saying "majority of males commit sexual offences" or something?

When it occurs in women, I think it’s because we’ve been socialised since childhood to think that speaking up and complaining aren’t attractive qualities. Tolerating/excusing bad male behaviour and stroking the male ego is attractive. Plus it erases the problem - it works in the same way as #alllivesmatter.

Hot sauce diluted a bit with alcohol and put in a travel aerosol sprayer works just as well.

That is what pepper spray is effectively

It will also land you in alot of trouble so if you're doing that already then be careful

@DogsSausages

What about men and teenagers too. They also get attacked.

The fact that the VERY FIRST response to this post was whataboutery tells you a lot.

What about men.

What about men.

It's constant.

@Outbutnotoutout

What ever you carry, could be used as a weapon against you.

What we need is education and tough sentences against crimes against women and girls

I had exactly this. Armed with a weapon (a sweeping brush), he had it off me in seconds and broke it in two over his knee. What I will never forgive him for is that I was holding on for dear life to a necklace my grandmother had given me and he snatched it off me in seconds and the pearls scattered everywhere. I locked myself in rooms, he'd kick in the door. Why are men so fucking violent?

Awful idea. It could blow back and incapacitate you more than the attacker. It could be used against you. Attackers will need to then carry knives or guns in case you have a spray. And you can see the court cases already would be full of defence lawyers going "well she had a cs spray and didn't use it so she must have wanted it".

I have some after nearly being attacked in London waiting for a tube. I forgot to take it out of my handbag when I was checking into a flight at Gatwick a couple of years ago. The staff called the airport police, the police couldn't have been nicer, they took it off me of course, but they also agreed with me that it's ridiculous that it's illegal and said women should be allowed to carry it. I was allowed to travel sans spray.

Women need to be taught what men are. We're all being taught that they're lovely. Ye right. Some men are. But women also need to be taught how to handle abuse (emotional or physical) from a man. People seem to be totally opposed to accepting that some men are just violent or evil. We're not allowed to say that though.

I challenge any mother of a son (I have one) to come on here and say that their son is a saint.

@DogsSausages
I’m sorry but this type of comment is just infuriating. Who are men and boys typically at risk of being attacked by? Other men. That’s who.
And yes it’s horrific that men are also victims of attacks and murders but violence against women occurs on the streets, in their own homes, in their work place and are so disproportionately affected by UNPROVOKED VIOLENCE.
This is a huge issue. This is a gendered crime. The problem starts and ends with violent men.

I don't think we should be turning this into a men Vs women thing.

@tttigress

I don't think we should be turning this into a men Vs women thing.

It's a violent men v anyone they choose to victimise thing, but in this instance the focus is on violence against women.

If men in general don't want it to be a women v men thing they should do more to deal with the problems.

@tttigress

I don't think we should be turning this into a men Vs women thing.

It is a men vs women thing. Men harass women. Men are violent towards women. That’s a fact.

170 homicides last year.
42 female victims (25%)
128 male victims (75%)

11% of female victims were murdered by strangers. 4/170 = 2% of homicides.

If you allowed illegal chemical warfare it's the men who need it and that would quickly become barbarian times.

Blame the men who make this a men v women thing.
This is not unrelated :

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/10/almost-all-young-women-in-the-uk-have-been-sexually-harassed-survey-finds

'Low level' harassment, disrespect, not really seeing women as equals.