I am not the strongest or fastest or most street savvy woman. In fact, I would probably look like a pretty good target for an attacker. I've often thought about what I would do if I suddenly found myself being followed or worse, being attacked, mugged, raped, etc. I have no interest in accidentally killing someone, which I think could happen if I carried a gun, and besides I don't even like guns or have any experience with one.

Recently however, I became aware of the advantages of stun guns. Stun guns don't kill the attacker and are generally used to ?buy you time? to get away. That's just what I need'a head start getting away. Stun guns use high voltage and low amperage to temporarily disable an attacker for up to five to ten minutes.

As a science teacher I am fascinated with the science behind their effectiveness. In a nut shell, the energy stored in the gun is transferred into the attacker's muscles causing them to contract rapidly. This rapid work cycle instantly depletes the attacker's blood sugar by converting it to lactic acid, an anaerobic process. Lactic acid in the blood stream changes the pH of the blood temporarily and this causes muscles to not work their best. Furthermore, the depleted sugar level results in muscle cells that are incapable producing enough usable energy (ATP) for them to function properly. The stun gun also interrupts the tiny neurological impulses that control and direct voluntary muscle movement. All of this amounts to a temporarily incapacitated attacker and I would have time to run off. I found it reassuring that should the attacker be touching me, when I use the stun gun on him, the current will NOT pass to my body!

As it turns out stun guns are banned in some countries, some states and in some cities. I can use it in my state of Pennsylvania, but not in Philadelphia. What I think is really cool about stun guns is that they can be disguised as other things like a Blackberry or cell phone, making it very inconspicuous that I am carrying one in plain sight. That way if I am in a place where I am feeling unsafe or just want to have added protection, I can carry it in my hand or strapped to my belt and it will be very easy to get it and use it in a sudden emergency. Best of all I come back to the fact that I know I won't accidentally kill someone while defending myself. Isn't it sad though, that our society is such that these protective measures are necessary.