You run through the park, you walk to your car at night after a long day of work, or maybe you walk all by yourself from the train to your apartment right outside of the city. Depending on where you live and what the local crime rate is, it may or may not be as safe as it used to be to walk, jog, use a bike trail, or do anything in a secluded area on your own. Sometimes a mode of protection is needed not only to make someone feel secure about getting from point A to point B on their own, but also to save their loved ones the constant stress and worry they must feel knowing that the person is putting themselves in a potentially dangerous and vulnerable situation.

Nowadays, there are many options available for self-protection that will not permanently harm the attacker. They range is speed, size, mode, and price, but they will all get you out of a sticky situation when they are used properly. Three of the newer options for civilian protection are a stun baton, a stun gun, and pepper spray.

Stun Baton: Carrying a stun baton is a definite way to scare off any attacker because of its two-step process. The purpose behind the stun baton is to first sound an alarm which should scare off some attackers, and if not, then to shock them with an electric current that will temporarily debilitate them. As they lay on the ground confused as to what just happened and attempting to regain composure (which will not happen right away) the victim has enough time to run away and call for help.

Stun Gun: Some stun guns will just shock the attacker, while others will act more like a stun baton, but what makes them different is their shape. A stun gun is usually just a couple of inches long and some are even shaped or designed in order to look like a completely different product like a cell phone, a flashlight, or a large pen. These newer strategic designs help the victims to get their stun gun in the right position if the attacker has already made their move. Chances are, someone who is already trying to steal your wallet will not be deterred from doing so if you whip out your cell phone and hold it against their body, but the shock they feel afterwards will bring them to their knees. Some stun guns also sound an alarm, or may be designed in a way where they could be used as a baton for a third method of defense.

Neither stun guns nor stun batons can be carried in DC, HI, IL, MA, MI, NJ, NY, RI, or WI, but there are other options within those states for self-protection. Pepper spray is another option for personal security.

Pepper Spray: Similar to stun guns or stun batons, some pepper sprays are made in containers that look like other small devices that one would normally carry, like a pager, a cell phone, or even a decorative ring to wear on your finger. When used properly, pepper spray will cause your attacker to suffer from immediate inflammation of the eye and will disrupt other mucous membranes in the facial area resulting in breathing difficulty, coughing, choking, and nausea. It will debilitate the attacker for about 45 minutes without causing them any permanent damage.

When choosing a pepper spray, it is important to decide if you want a stream spray or a fogger. A stream spray will limit cross-contamination because a fog of pepper spray will disperse in the area and can cloud over for an hour or so. Also available are gel pepper sprays, which can be used from a distance and will not cloud over an area, so they are safe to use indoors or outdoors no matter who else is around. Pepper sprays cannot be shipped to NY or MA, but can be purchased through the state and are legal to use there. Owning any of the aforementioned products is a helpful way to ease your mind and calm the fears of your loved ones if you constantly avail yourself to dangerous or secluded areas, or even if you simply live in a high-crime neighborhood. So next time you chose to run through the park, walk to your car at night after a long day of work, or maybe even walk by yourself from the train to your apartment right outside of the city, ask yourself if you feel safe.