As with any martial art, practice makes perfect. If you choose pepper spray as your primary method of defense, think of its use as a weapons martial art. Through frequent practice of drawing, positioning the spray in your hand, and firing the pepper spray, you will put up a good fight against your attacker.

Practice role playing drills with a partner if you carry the spray in your purse. Remember that you will want to retain possession of the spray even if the perpetrator grabs your purse away. The pepper spray unit should be placed and clipped to the purse in such a way that, when you hold the spray, any downward yank of the purse will let the spray remain in your hand.

Pepper spray should always be ready for your use instantaneously anytime you are walking to your car, leaving the restaurant late at night, shopping, jogging, or anytime that you are alone. Have the weapon ready at all times whether it is attached to your purse, belt, or keychain. It does not matter. The time it takes to recognize a potential assault and bring the weapon into action may be less than a few seconds. Criminals always work quickly. Therefore you should be prepared to take action.

It is also very important to mentally practice exactly what to do in the event that you have to use your spray. Practice against an imaginary perp until you are comfortable with your ability to use the spray quickly and effectively. Any practice with the spray you do could mean the difference between becoming a victim of sexual assault or any other crime and surviving a hostile threat.