A weapon can be defined as “any instrument or device for use in attack or defence in combat”, or “anything used against an opponent, adversary, or victim”.
To further refine this definition, a weapon is any instrument or tool, combined with the intention to cause harm to another, whether for attack or for defence.
In my opinion, the greatest weapon is the human mind combined with the correct intention. With this combination, ANY tool around you can become a deadly weapon.
This makes a vast amount of “tools” all around us that we can use (should we need to), or have them used against us as weapons. What I am referring to is “improvised weapons”, which should conjure images of car keys, rolled up magazines, the high-heel of a woman’s shoe, or even a broomstick used in a deadly manner! We humans are pretty well equipped at using anything around us to throw, poke or swing– It comes instinctively (just watch a child play and you will see how natural this comes to them). What happens as we get older is that we get conditioned to be more “civilized” and not throw, poke or swing objects at people anymore! I will elaborate on that idea in another article some other time.
I will focus on a few tools that I personally have come across and/or used for self defence purposes. For some of these tools, I have little to no experience with, whereas others, I have moderate to extensive training with. I will offer you my opinions of what I have researched and experienced. Should you consider getting a tool for self defence, it boils down to what you are comfortable and effective with in both accessing and using the tool, as well as whether it is LEGALLY available to you to purchase and carry in your country or state. The latter part of this statement will be for you to research yourself and find out what laws affect you in your place of residence.
The 6 tools I will be discussing are: Pepper Sprays; Stun Guns; Tasers; Tactical Baton; Knives; Hand Guns.
I will also pay particular attention to the following criteria in which to do some comparisons on:
1. Effectiveness - Is the weapon an effective self defence tool?
2. Operability - How easy or difficult is the weapon to operate?
3. Carry-ability - How “wearable” is the weapon?
4. Cost - The relative cost of the weapon.
Pepper sprays: An aerosol spray that temporarily irritates the eyes and mucous membranes, used to stun and incapacitate an attacker, long enough to get away. The active ingredient is capsaicin, extracted from capsicum. There is a wide variety of pepper sprays that varies in types of deployment (stream, cone, foam, gel, fog), strength, distance (up to 12ft / 3.66m) and size (from hand-held tubes to up to 9.2oz / 272ml cans).
Advantages:
- Effective, with correct training;
- Simple to operate;
- Come in disguised forms, so gives the element of surprise;
- Small and easy to carry;
- Non-lethal;
- No permanent effects on the person it is used on;
- Cheap enough to buy multiple sprays.
Disadvantages:
- Good for one use;
- Dependent on weather conditions (if used outdoors);
- Could affect the handler too if used in confined spaces (such as in a car);
- Has an expiry date;
- Has a limited spray-time;
- There are cases of pepper sprays being ineffective on some people.
The Stun Gun is a battery-powered, hand-held electroshock weapon that releases an electrical charge when held against a person and activated by a trigger, to immobilize a person briefly.
Advantages:
- Can generate from 200,000 volts and up, enough to incapacitate an attacker;
- Can be used multiple times before requiring a recharge;
- Come in various disguises such as cell phones, flash lights, night sticks, etc…
- Basic training required on how to use the weapon;
- Small and easy to carry;
- Relatively cheap to purchase.
Disadvantages:
The Taser, is a trademarked product by a company called "Taser International", and is an electroshock weapon that fires 2 pins connected to a wire into an assailant, causing strong involuntary muscle contractions and/or pain.
Advantages:
- Can stop an attacker up to 15ft / 4.57m away;
- Non-lethal but effective;
- Some models are small and easy to carry, whereas larger ones might be more difficult;
- Requires basic training to be able to operate.
Disadvantages:
- Both the weapon and additional capsules (which it fires) are expensive to purchase;
- Can fire only once before needing a reload (only one other model can fire 2 shots);
- Has proven to be ineffective on some people;
- To ensure the attacker remains incapacitated, it is recommended that once you have shot him/her, you are to leave the weapon behind so that you can make your escape (which will continue shocking him/her until the charge runs out). This can be a costly tool considering the tools costs begins from +- USD400.
The Telescopic Baton (or sometimes known as the “ASP “ – named as such by its manufacturer, "Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc", but people have used the name as a general term for all other branded telescopic batons) is essentially a steel club (much like the nightstick, truncheon or billy club), that collapses into itself when not in use. This makes it easy to carry around and conceal, but potent when extended and put to use. Many law enforcement agencies around the world have adopted this weapon as their initial compliance tool to be used on unruly citizens.
Advantages:
- Easy to carry and conceal (but again check the legality of this in your country/state);
- Quick to deploy and use;
- Comes in various lengths;
- Non-lethal but effective;
- Great intimidation tool;
- Easy to use (swing around and hit the attacker);
- The cost of the weapon varies from cheap to moderate.
Disadvantage:
- May be illegal for civilians to carry and/or conceal in some countries or states;
- The lock on the baton must be secured when in use to ensure it does not collapse in an inopportune time;
- Requires practice to be able to deploy the weapon properly;
- Specialised training and/or correct mind-set to be able to use the weapon to its maximum potential.
Knives are one of my favourite tools for self defence! It’s easy to use and easily concealable. More importantly, it can be a lethal means to end an attack, should I need to. However, with that said it is also easily available anywhere and hence, very easy for criminals to obtain and carry around too. In fact, over 90% of crime in South Africa is carried out using a knife or some other improvised bladed-tool. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a teacher/mentor, who said: “If you want to learn how to use a weapon, you must also know how to effectively defend against it.”
Advantages:
- Small and easy to carry and conceal;
- Can be a lethal means to end an attack;
- Requires little training or skill to cause damage (“place hard point bit of tool into soft, fleshy part of the body”);
- The cost knives vary from very cheap to very expensive.
Disadvantages:
- May be illegal in some countries/states to carry or conceal on one’s self;
- Easily available to everyone, even criminals;
- Can be lethal in the hands of both a skilled or unskilled knifer;
- The low-cost of knives makes it accessible to ANYONE.
The last weapon discussed is the Hand Gun. Although I was never a fan of fire arms, I had to face the reality of where I live and what the common modus of operandi of criminals are. The sad reality is that not only in South Africa, but all around the world, crimes are getting more violent and involve lethal weapons such as bladed weapons and/or firearms. With that in mind, and the words uttered by my previously mentioned teacher/mentor, I decided to do some extensive firearm training. I have a new-found respect for firearms and understand what damage it can cause, as well as the lives that can be saved using it. The debate about whether it is right or wrong to own a firearm is an ongoing one, however, below are my views of the advantages and disadvantages of a hand gun:
Advantages:
- Easy to operate and/or conceal (if allowed by the laws of your country/state);
- Can be a lethal means to end an attack;
- Distance is the greatest advantage as I don’t need to be anywhere close to an attacker to stop him/her;
- Can be fired multiple times;
- With the correct training, can be used effectively against multiple attackers;
- I can fire through doors or walls to strike an attacker on the other side.
Disadvantage
- Investment cost is high, as it includes the cost of the weapon itself, ammunition, proper storage facilities; ongoing training costs, etc.
- Damaging to the human body, regardless as to whether you use it in a lethal or non-lethal way;
- Require competency to be done and a bureaucratic process to be followed to obtain a licence to own a firearm LEGALLY in South Africa;
- Illegal firearms on the open market that are easily obtainable by criminals, is rife in South Africa;
- Requires special training and constant practice to be effective.
As a forewarning, weapons can give one a false sense of security. Have a backup plan should you get disarmed from your weapon. Don’t be too dependent on it for your personal safety. You have to train how to access your weapons under pressure, and how to use it effectively under pressure. Notice there are 2 parts to that statement. The first, is the most important, “being able to access the weapon under pressure”. This is important because say for instance, have a Taser in your handbag, but a robbery is busy trying to steal it from you, it will make accessing that tool very difficult! In another scenario, you are ambushed by a knife-wielding attacker. You have a knife or firearm on your body, but the pressure of his/her attack takes you by surprise and you need to deal with the immediate threat before being able to access your tools. This could involve dealing with the immediate treat, disrupting the assailant’s immediate attack; create enough distance for yourself to finally being able to access your weapon. The next statement of, “being able to use the weapon effectively under pressure”, is true for some weapons that are more complicated and requires special training (e.g. firearm) especially under pressure. Other weapons require little to no training to be able to use it in a manner that may not be as efficient, but effective nevertheless. For instance a knife – the instructions are simple: Take sharp, pointy bit and thrust and slash to the soft bits of the attacker’s body.
To end off, here are some further precautions about using a tool for self defence:
- Check the laws of your country/state regarding the various tools you may use for self defence;
- A tool can be used as a weapon against you too;
- Practise accessing and using your tools under high-pressure conditions;
- Know the limitations of your tools;
- Don’t let your tools be the sole instrument of your personal safety;
- Have a backup plan should you get disarmed from your tools.
Till next time, get educated, become empowered, and ultimately, live and engage life positively.
WH
No comments:
Post a Comment