I got myself a canister of pepper spray today, and the reason is implicit - The world is becoming more and more dangerous for women, and sexual crimes are increasing at pandemic proportions each year. Having a pepper spray canister at my disposal increases the chances to fend off an attacker. As important as my purse, phone, keys, and sanitary pads are, a pepper spray canister is not something I can leave behind any more. If you are wondering why, here is the answer - When it comes to non-lethal ways to save oneself from an attacker, pepper spray is hard to beat. Can pepper spray save me from an unforeseen or uncalled for situation? No, it will not avert a danger completely, but I can at least immobilize an attacker for a while and thus save myself from being harmed. In other words, pepper spray provides a sense of security.
Unlike earlier days of my career, I work for more than 12 hours on most of the days and am concerned about my safety while going to or from work. Regardless of the city I am in, I have to always look over my shoulder, constantly look for signs of danger, or quicken my pace to ensure my safety, even in even the busiest of the streets.
Safety of women is still a challenge in our society. Whichever state you go to, whichever city you reside; there is no dearth of women who have faced horrific ordeals of sexual harassment. Despite making remarkable strides in development in almost every sphere, women’s safety is still a concern, a mirage, and a hard-fought battle in our country. In spite of having strong laws in place, there is no let up in sexual assault cases in our country. It’s been almost seven years since the Nirbhaya incident, and there has been no change in the attitude of society towards women. We haven’t yet created a system that instills fear in the heart of offenders. Crimes against women continue to rise each day, but only a small fraction of them get reported or see the court doors. Women are forced to learn self-defense techniques and equip themselves with pepper sprays or stun guns to reduce the chances of become victims.
State governments across the country announced a slew of measures after the Nirbhaya incident, but none of them have made any significant impact. Women continue to become the potential target of obscene remark, lewd gestures, stalking, or molestation. From barely-occupied city buses and trains to unlit bus stops and streets as well as busy roads and market places, sick and inebriated perverts loiter in most parts of every city in our country. Although we claim to be a progressive society, stalking is still not considered a crime, thanks to a slew of movies where stalking is depicted as an accepted way to woo a woman.
According to a survey conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation last year, our country is the most dangerous place for women. Our cities are riddled with many unsafe corners that make perfect hiding space for perverts and molesters. To save themselves from unforeseen incidents, women have started arming themselves with self-defense techniques. However, defending oneself from an expected attack is easier but getting caught by surprise may not be. Pepper spray is an effective and easy-to-use form of self-defense, even when you are caught off guard. It is easy to carry and can easily incapacitate an attacker for a while. Once exposed, it takes about an hour for the effects of the spray to wear off. Pepper spray canisters are designed to fit in handbags and purses.
No product can make me invincible, and I am aware of that. But I am fortunate to have such weapons that help disorient an attacker for a few minutes so that I can flee from the spot.
