Self-Defense is Not Only Physical But Mental

I had never been afraid to live on my own, even at the age of 21, until someone tried to break into my single wide mobile home at 3:00 in the morning. Not having any self-defense weapons in the house, nor any self-defense training, I could not believe this was happening to me. After he had tried and failed to open any windows, he blatantly knocked on my front door, demanding I let him in. Not knowing who it was, I refused to open the door, at which he became ballistic and pulled up on one of the roll out windows on the door, breaking it. I had just received the operator after dialing 911, but I panicked after hearing the window break, dropping the phone. My German Shepherd was chained up several feet away from the back of the house. I ran out the back door, flew across the gravel and let her loose. She had already been barking, so she knew he was in the front and she ran around the house towards him. The intruder yelled something as he jumped off the front porch, ran to his car in the vacant lot next door and took off.

I did not even have a self-defense mentality. I merely acted out of panic and hope that my people friendly dog would actually protect me. I was lucky in this case.

I experienced a period of shock afterward, shaking uncontrollably. It left me angry and bitter towards men who choose to use their brawn to terrify and try to control women and intrude on their private refuge. I didn't realize at the time that a preplanned out strategy of self-dense could have given me the upper hand. It could have saved me years of being afraid to live alone again.

As it was, I was totally helpless mentally because I had not prepared myself for any self-defense situation coming my way. I did not see the possible assailant's face, causing me to look at every man for many weeks afterward as the potential perpetrator. The vicious sound of his voice demanding "LET ME IN" stayed in my head for several years. It was a long time before I started trusting men again.

There were actions I could have taken to possibly insure a positive outcome in this situation that I was not even aware of at the time. Instead, I did several things wrong:

1. Thinking anyone would ever want to break into my house and do me bodily damage had never entered my mind before this incident. I was really simple minded at that age to believe this, considering myself rather plain and tomboyish, and believing that only "beautiful" women were singled out for such an attack. The self-defense action here would have been to have a previous plan in place if this were ever to happen so I would be mentally prepared.

2. I didn't finish the call to 911. I didn't realize that to get through the door, the intruder would have also had to break through the screen, reach in and unlock the door, giving me plenty of time to make sure the police were on their way. The self-defense action here would have been to stay on the line with the operator until help arrived. Also, I should have known how secure my doors and windows were.

3. Although I trusted my German Shepherd to protect me, she was really not a protection dog and I should not have gone out the back door in case someone else was waiting out there. It was a bit of a run to the safety of the dog. The self-defense action here would have been to stay in the house and again stay on the phone until help arrived.

4. The only self-defense weapon in the house was a knife. It may have stopped him if he had gotten in, but chances are he would have over powered me, taken it away and possibly used it on me. A stun gun or pepper spray would have been a better self-defense weapon, causing an immediate debilitating effect on any intruder. Having some kind of non-lethal weapon or alarm system on hand or in place would have been the self-defense action that was missing. That action alone could have given me the confidence to know that if the intruder actually did get in my house, he would have regretted it.

I could have had a personal alarm system in place on the windows, a motion alert alarm or a door guard alarm set to scare off anyone touching the door knob. Any of these self-defenses could have saved me years of fear, given me confidence and security and might possibly have helped catch the perpetrator.

Today we have these means of protection. They are affordable and pepper sprays and stun guns are legal in most cities and states. However, be sure to check your local and state laws before buying. If a woman wants to live alone, she should and can feel safe and secure without the need to own a lethal gun. Some of the keys to self-defense are:

a. Plan ahead and even have back-up plans.

b. Have a non-lethal self-defense weapon easily accessible and know how to use it.

c. Have your dog in the house with you at night, and

d. Practice, practice, practice. Come up with possible scenarios and practice how to use your self-defense weapon until it becomes second nature. Know that IF a perpetrator WERE to invade your home and sanctuary while you are home alone, HE would regret it and wind up being the victim, not you.

Karleen Lindsey is a proponent for women's safety without the use of deadly weapons. To receive 20% off of your first purchase over $10, check out her products to protect women and particularly home safety, using coupon code 3254

Tags: defending self, home security, keep women safe, non lethal self defense products, non-lethal self defense weapons, non-lethal weapons, pepper spray, safety products, self defense, self defense products, self-defense actions, stun guns, women's safety

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March 01 2010 | home security | No Comments »

How Easy Is It To Use The TASER C2?

If you have already bought a TASER C2 you probably are aware how easy it is to use. You probably took the time to read the owner manual and watch the training DVD that comes with each TASER C2. By doing this you became familiar with the most effective way to use the TASER C2. If you have just purchased your TASER C2 make sure you take the time and go through the training DVD and owner manual as soon as it arrives.

The way the unit gets power is by using a Lithium battery cartridge. This cartridge is very well designed and contains enough energy to power the TASER C2 for 50 firings. Make sure before you put the battery cartridge in that you have not inserted the magazine cartridge first. You don't want to do that. Always place the battery cartridge in first followed by inserting the magazine cartridge. When you have both cartridges in correctly you will see a green light. This signifies that your TASER C2 is ready for action.

The next thing you need to do is load your air cartridges. Make sure the safety switch cover is closed and that the TASER is pointing in a safe direction. Remove the cartridge cover at the front of the C2 and insert the cartridge until you hear it click. That indicates it is locked in place. Just to make sure, gently pull on the sides of the cartridge. There is not an "up" or "down" on the air cartridges so you don't have to worry about putting the cartridge in wrong. This is also a nice feature for when you are under any stress so you can reload quickly if needed. Each cartridge carries the probes, wire, and compressed air. Do not try to open these cartridges.

When you hold the unit you hold it as you would a handgun, vertically. There is a safety switch cover that you open to expose the firing button. Do not fire at an attacker that is more then 15 feet away. That is the maximum range of the C2. All TASER C2 models, except one, have a laser-aiming device. When aiming at a target keep in mind that where ever you see the laser, that is where the top probe will approximately land. If your safety permits, try to avoid aiming at the face, neck, head or groin area.

You do not need a tape measure but always try to shoot your TASER C2 when you are about 7 to 10 feet away from your attacker. This will result in a good spread of the probes, about 16 inches, and deliver the most effect. Try not to have a probe spread of less then 4 inches. Remember, maximum effect occurs between 7 and 10 feet.

Just like with any tool, practice makes perfect. Before you actually need to use your device, practice with it. Become more familiar with it. There are targets available fto use that will help you gain confidence and proficiency. Don't think you can practice on a person. The TASER C2 projects two barbs that can penetrate clothing and skin and that is what provides the wattage and voltage.

There is also a stun capability backup called the Drive Stun Back Up. This means that if you just happen to run out of cartridges and you still need to disable an attacker you can approach the person and use the stun gun functionality. The TASER C2 has two stun gun electrodes that will allow you to depress the volts into the attacker's neck or other exposed body part and then make your escape.

As soon as your attacker is on the ground and incapacitated, place the TASER C2 on the ground and run away to a safe location. Do not try to retrieve your TASER C2. The manufacturer will replace your unit if you send them a copy of the police report of your attack.

Want to find out more about Self Defense Products, then visit Jim Wilkinson's site on how to choose the best TASER device for your needs.

Tags: crime, home security, personal protection, safety, security, self defense, self defense products, stun guns, stunguns, taser, tasers, tazers

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February 26 2010 | home security | No Comments »