Let us look at some facts, which will throw light upon the crime rate and how much our society is susceptible to crime and violent attacks. The crime index rate in the US is measured Per 100,000 people and it saw a huge jump from 1,887.2 in 1960 to a whopping 5,897.8 in 1991. According to crime reports, the crime rate in 1991 in the US had jumped by 313% since the 1960's.

The crime rate comprises of all reported crime and the categories include Murder, Property, Forcible Rape, Aggravated assault, Robbery, Burglary, Vehicle theft, and Larceny-theft. Here is a comparison of crime rate in the US from 1980 to 2005 in multiples of 5 years:

Year ------ Number of Offenses (Violent Crime) ------ Number of Offenses (Property Crime)
1980 ----------------- 1,345 ------------------------------- 12,064
1985 ----------------- 1,328 ------------------------------- 11,103
1990 ----------------- 1,820 ------------------------------- 12,655
1995 ----------------- 1,799 ------------------------------- 12,064
2000 ----------------- 1,425 ------------------------------- 10,183
2005 ----------------- 1,391 ------------------------------- 10,166
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The above figures go on to show that the crime rate was at its maximum in the period between 1985 and 1995. Although, the figures have come down but the improvement is not good enough. In such a scenario, what can you do as an individual? The answer to this lies in self-defense. There are several forms of self-defense including martial arts and use of pepper spray but the most common and legal forms in US include:

•Stun Guns
•Tasers
•Pepper Sprays
•Concealed Handguns
•Expandable Batons
•Animal Repellents

Let us take a look at how each of these weapons for self-defense can be useful.

Stun Guns
Over a period of time, stun guns have completely evolved and are considered as one of the safest and effective weapons of self-defense. It is not only easy to use but it also more discreet and you can conceal it in your handbag as well. A stun gun of today is easily capable of generating around 200,000 volts and even more, which can easily leave a person incapacitated for 30 minutes. The advantage is that you can find different types of stun guns in the market like the stun gun flashlight, cell phone stun gun, stun baton, raptor stun gun, stun pen, small fry mini stun gun, expandable baton, stun stick, and several other variations including a rechargeable stun gun. But the only disadvantage of a stun gun is that you have to be close enough to the attacker to be able to use it.

The stun gun throws an electronic charge at the body of the attacker. Once it is firmly planted on the body, the high voltage low amps charge can easily disable a 6-foot man without causing any serious damage to the attacker. The attacker will feel excruciating pain as their muscles start to spasm and at the same time the level of their blood sugar will be depleted. Basically, it is one of the safest and effective weapons to use against an attacker in a close range.

Tasers
A Taser is quite similar to the stun gun in more ways than one. This is a weapon that sends an electroshock into the body of the attacker to de-capacitate them. The Taser works on a technology known as Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD), which causes neuromuscular incapacitation or NMI and can be considered responsible for the strong muscle contractions that the attacker feels. The muscle contractions take place due to the involuntary stimulation of motor nerves as well as the sensory nerves. In fact, due to this particular reason, the Taser has become a favorite of law enforcement agencies in the US and other countries as well. It is even preferred over some of the traditional stun guns. The two main models used by law enforcement agencies include the M26 and X26. Both these Tasers are available with different accessories including a mounted digital video camera, which is capable of recording in low light conditions and laser sight.

The Taser works by firing two small darts, which consists of electrodes. The electrodes are connected to the main unit by a thin conductive wire and are propelled through the air with the help of compressed nitrogen charges. Each of the air cartridges consist of a pair of electrodes as well as a propellant that has to be replaced after each shot. Each of the Taser cartridges is available for propelling at different ranges. The maximum range for a Taser cartridge is 10.6 meters or 35 feet and this is available only for law enforcement agencies. If you are planning to buy a Taser then your cartridge will be limited to 4.5 meters or 15 feet.

The good thing about Taser electrodes is that they can penetrate clothing and have a barbed surface so that they can’t be removed once they get attached to the skin. The good news is that Tasers can be carried legally without a permit in almost 43 US States although they are still prohibited for use in self-defense by citizens in the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin.

Pepper Spray
Pepper spray is another very effective method of self-defense that women all over the world use against attackers or stalkers. Pepper spray is also called the OC spray as it has been derived from Oleoresin Capsicum. Some of the other common names of the pepper spray include capsicum spray and OC gas. Pepper spray is considered to be a good weapon of self-defense because of its lachrymatory qualities. The chemical in the spray irritates the eyes of the attacker and forces them to shut. It also causes pain, tears and temporary blindness and it is important to understand that too much of pepper spray can be lethal as well.

You can find pepper spray in most of the supermarkets and other stores which stock self-defense equipments. It is available in canisters and can easily be concealed. It looks almost like a smaller version of a deodorant canister. Off late, due to its increased usage, companies have started offering pepper spray in innovative products like a ring or a cigarette lighter. The smaller it is, the better it can be concealed!

Concealed Handgun
There are different laws in different countries for carrying a concealed handgun and in the United States it is known as concealed carry. You can carry a concealed handgun only after you get your license or legal authorization for the gun. As the name suggests, these guns are a little different from what the military or the police uses. These guns are smaller and can be easily concealed. Of course the choice of concealed handgun that you can carry will vary from one state to another. There are some states that will allow you to carry multiple concealed handguns while other states will restrict the use of even one handgun. So before you can go ahead and purchase a concealed handgun refer to the laws applicable in your state. Here is a list of the various types of concealed handguns that you can carry or use legally:

•Pocket Guns: Airweight snubnose revolvers, Berettas, Seecamp .32's, Derringers, and Airweight snubnose .38 Special revolver
•Medium Frame Revolvers: S&W Model 66 and Ruger GP Series
•Medium Frame Auto Pistols: Para-Ordnance P12, S&W 39xx, 59xx, and 69xx series, Glock 17, 19, 21 and 22 series, the SIG 22x series, Kimber ProCarry and Compact, H&K USP and P7, Springfield Champion, and several others.

Expandable Batons
Batons have always been used by law enforcement agencies but off late you can use them as well for thwarting any attack by an intruder or stranger. You can find different types of expandable batons in the market including the expandable telescopic baton, which is considered to be an intimidating and powerful weapon of self-defense. There are two reasons for carrying an expandable baton:
1)It would be a warning to anyone who wants to attack you as the baton can clearly be seen
2)If someone still chooses to attack you then with the help of the baton you will be able to take them down quickly and efficiently. Some of the different sizes available include 16" expandable telescopic baton, 21" expandable telescopic baton, and 17" expandable telescopic spring baton

Animal Repellents
Animal repellents comprise of different types of chemicals and can be used for self-defense against bears, dogs, cats, and other animals. All animals’ repellents can be classified in 2 specific categories:
1)Taste repellent: This type if animal repellent is known as gustatory repellents repel and they taste really bad.
2)Odor repellent: These animal repellents are also known as olfactory repellents and leave an odor that is disturbing to the animals.

The crux of the matter is that you should always take necessary measures to protect yourself when you are driving, in a crowded place, in a dark alley or in a park. Any of the above weapons of self-defense can be your life saving decision!

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