Self Defense Do's and Dont's

Do as much as you can to avoid a confrontation - "anticipation and avoidance" are the key words. If you get caught up in a situation, try to talk to an aggressor without provoking them. Practice relaxation, as appearing fearful or stressed can actually provoke an attack. Remember that body language is important in aggressive situations, so maintain a comfortable distance between you and the aggressor.

Use a gas or electronic attack alarm, as these give out a short piercing sound and will temporarily disorientate an attacker, giving you enough time to escape. Carry it somewhere where you can get to it quickly - don't leave it buried at the bottom of your bag. If you don't have an alarm, just make a noise yourself by screaming as loud as you can, or shouting "call the police" - if you're loud enough this can be just as effective as a personal alarm. If you have an alarm, use it and shout as well.

Steady yourself if danger threatens. Panic can disable you, so again it’s useful to learn how to keep control in a difficult situation. And if you must fight back, adopt what police term the "bash and dash" approach. Primary targets are the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, throat, groin, knees or shins; choose whichever is easiest to get to.

If held from behind don't struggle forward, you'll only exhaust yourself. Instead throw yourself backwards to surprise your attacker or stomp on the lower leg or foot.

You have the right to defend yourself with reasonable force and this includes using items you have with you such as an umbrella, bag, briefcase or keys. However, don't carry or use anything that the law would regard as an offensive weapon. Once you've achieved your primary aim of stunning or surprising your attacker, get away as fast as you can. If you manage to overcome them don't attack again, you could be putting yourself in more danger or you could end up being charged with assault.

These are just the very basics of self-defense, but to learn more about it and get some exercise at the same time, find a local self-defense class and encourage your family along to join you. Just remember "anticipation and avoidance" are the best forms of defense.

The Pepper Shot PS-6 Self Defense Kit gives you three pepper spray forms for car, home and person. We recommend it to anyone interested in their own self defense. Pepper spray works!

Preventing Rape

If you are in immediate danger of being raped, here are some things that you can do.

Make a loud noise - Carry a whistle or scream "police" to attract attention

Run - Only run if there is somewhere safe to run to. If there is no where to go you may aggravate the assailant further by running

Stall - Speak calmly and rationally. Try not to plead, cry or show that you're scared, this may be the reaction that he's going for.

Urinate or vomit - Do anything you can to repulse the assailant. Tell him that you have a STD or AIDS.

Fight - Women who resist attacks and act quickly are less likely to be raped, than those who are passive. The optimum time to react is in the first 20 seconds when the body releases chemicals in the blood that help to put up a fight. Be cautious if he has a weapon.

Keep alert - Even though it will be difficult, try to pay attention to as many details as possible, so that you can identify your assailant.

Get help - Call 9-1-1 as soon as possible. Police are becoming more willing to help victims of rape. You are not obligated to press charges or go to court.

Collect evidence - Do not bathe, shower, or douche. If you change clothes, put the clothes you were raped in into a bag and seal it.

Tell someone - Call the police, rape crisis counselor, telephone operator, friend. It is very important that someone knows and that it is not kept a secret.

TASER® And The Models

The TASER® is a type of stun gun that rapidly takes down an assailant with almost 100% effectiveness. It does this by sending two darts to the target. These probes are attached to the gun by two thin electrical wires. When the user presses the trigger, the probes rapidly fire and send an electrical charge through the wires. The perpetrator goes down quickly with almost 100% effectiveness. The product works by overwhelming a person's sensory and motor functions. When used responsibly, the product is safe with a low incidence of injury.

Note: TASER International prefers the term Electronic Control Device (ECD) to describe the TASER. Many people, including members of the media, often confuse the terms "stun gun" and "TASER").

TASER® began as a company in 1993 and focused on citizen models to deter personal assaults. In 1999, the company brought to the market the M series TASER models which fine tuned the electrical pulse to more effectively incapacitate the target's neuromuscular system. The Advanced TASER M26 (26 watt) model became the first successful ergonomically shaped device to find favor with law enforcement personnel. These and others involved with security found that an aggressive and uncooperative individual could often be subdued and apprehended without the incident escalating to a lethal force situation. Cartridge ranges are available up to 35 feet.

Citizens concerned with personal safety were offered their own M version, the M18 (18 watts). Although not quite as sophisticated or powerful as the police model, the TASER M18 was a successful product. The M-18 was sold without a laser sight, the M-18L included the aiming aid. The device was powered by eight AA batteries with a maximum firing range of 15 feet.

In 2003, the company released the X-26 model. This police model is 60% smaller in size and weight than the M-26. To accomplish this, TASER engineers managed to re-shape the pulse wave so the gun required less power to operate. While the M-26 needed 26 watts of power, the X-26 needs only 5 watts. This "shaped pulse" technology is 25% more effective than the M-26 and better penetrates clothing. The unit requires a lithium power pack. Police departments laud the seven ounce weight that make carrying the unit in its holster much more comfortable than the previous model. Among the advanced features are a Central Information Display (CID) which indicates countdown timer during an activation, battery level and warranty information. A strong night time light has been integrated into the unit.

TASER International claims that 11,000 law enforcement agencies worldwide use TASER devices. But the company hasn't forgotten the individual consumer. The TASER® C2™ is a newer model designed specifically with the female user in mind. The model is stylishly ergonomic making it easier to hold by even small hands. The C2 shoots up to 15 feet and uses a lithium power pack that the company claims is good for 50 firings. The TASER C2 is available in five colors at a lower price than any previous model.

What's new for TASER International? The company is concentrating on audio-video surveillance products. It has been marketing the TASER® CAM™ as an attachment to the TASER X-26. It can record audio and video as the officer sees it. The new TASER®™ Axion™ is a stand-alone audio video system that an officer can wear while discharging his duties. It fits around the head and records the officers view of his surroundings. The company says that law enforcement officers constantly face false allegations and complaints that question their integrity and honor. TASER says that the officer will now have the ability to show administrators and even jurors exactly what he or she saw.

As TASER International fazes out its M-18 consumer line, the newest citizen model X26C takes its place.* Designed around the X-26 police model, the X-26C shares many of its design features. The consumer model comes in choices of yellow, black and clear body parts. The model uses cartridges that shoot up to 15 feet and uses the X-26 long life powering system. It also borrows the Central Information Display and the night light from the police model. This model is as much an advance from the M-18 as the X-28 from the M-26.

TASER devices are not considered firearms by the US Government. They can be legally carried (concealed or open) without a permit required in 43 states. Prohibited citizen use in DC, HI, MA, MI, NJ, NY, RI, WI, IL certain cities and counties. CT require a valid firearm license. Make sure you check local laws before purchasing or carrying electronic control devices including stun guns.

*X-26C TASER® should be in stock shortly.

TASER In The Media

We've written about TASER® guns before. We're surprised they cause so much media fueled controversy. More US and Canadian police departments are using them to good effect. It's another tool for police officers who are called upon to defuse out-of-control situations. Yes, some officers in the heat of a stressful situation will use the TASER inappropriately. A certain percentage of officers miss-use their firearms too but that causes needless loss of life.

A recent article in the Winston-Salem Journal on-line brought this home. In part it says,

"As the Winston-Salem City Council decides whether police officers should have Taser stun guns, it should consider the experience that the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office has had with them. Deputies have been using the electroshock weapons for about two years now, often when they're outnumbered in fights, whether in the jail or the schools, said Sheriff Bill Schatzman. The weapons protect the officers and the public, he said. It's better than using a baton or pepper spray, he said, because "it's surgical in deployment."

The article sites a recent case at the Mount Tabor High School when Deputy Tracy Steen used an electric shock weapon. He was trying to break up a fight in the cafeteria between two students where one refused to calm down, according to the sheriff's office. Tables were overturned, one landing on an innocent bystander.

After the incident was over, sentiment was overwhelming on the side of the police officer. That's weapons jargon for saying that the stun guns, if used properly, don't hit innocent bystanders. That apparently was the case just over a week ago at Mount Tabor High School when Deputy Tracy Steen used a stun gun. He was trying to break up a fight in the cafeteria between two students when one of them refused to calm down, according to the sheriff's office.

Many of the e-mails in response to Journal stories about the fight have supported the deputy. One e-mailer said that when she heard about the incident at her daughter's school, "my first reaction was concern about the use of Tasers in schools. But then my daughter came home from school and told me what she saw.... Tables were overturned, one landed on top of an innocent bystander.... This incident could have escalated into a tragedy...."

We don't condone the indiscriminate use of the TASER®. It's a tool. It can be used or miss-used. Users must be educated to the proper use of the device.

A couple additional comments: Notice how the media confuses stun guns and TASER® products! Even in the article quoted above, there is a mention of the device as stun gun. There is no such thing as a taser stun gun. TASER International disapproves of that appellation. A stun gun is a hand held device with two attached electrodes. The device must be held to the individual while the user presses the button. A TASER device projects two probes with two thin electrical wires attached that fly through the air to land on the perpetrator. The electrical charge is sent through the wires.

Also, TASER is not spelled TAZER. TAZER get almost as many hits on Google As TASER!

Stun Gun and the Canine Question

As a customer service representative for Stun Gun Supply, hardly a day goes by that I am not asked about stun guns and their effectiveness on animals. There is an evident need for these people to control unwanted advances from aggressive dogs. It's a complicated issue and I don't want to recommend a product designed for the nervous and musculature system of humans. Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to go this route.

First of all, there are products on the market specifically designed to control canine aggression. Mace Security makes a product called Muzzle Dog Repellent that is EPA approved. It is a pepper spray product that can spray up to 10 feet. Pepper spray (OC) is a known effective tearing agent that works in most cases. Some individuals, and canines by extension, can "fight through" the effects so it can not be considered effective in all cases.

Another product to consider is the Super Dog Chaser. This small hand held unit uses two ways to repel a dog. One is a discomforting high frequency sound above the range of human hearing. The second is a super bright LED flashing strobe that temporarily confuses the dog. The manufacturer claims effectiveness up to 40 feet.

I can find no peer reviewed controlled study that examines the effectiveness of stun guns on animals. There is some anecdotal evidence that suggests that the devise may produce the desired effect on canines at least in some situations. Adam Katz, owner of dogproblems.com, recommends the stun gun. "If you see a stray or unleashed dog approaching you, press the button a couple times," he says. "We've found that the electrical charge hits ultra high frequency sound waves that only the dog can hear. About 50% of the dogs would immediately turn tail and run away." He says that if the dog gets any closer, use the stun gun.

The Times Herald-Record of April 13, 2006 details the use of a TASER gun by a Monroe, NY police officer to subdue two attacking pit bulls on a golf course. The dogs which escaped from their home had been menacing golfers at the Monroe Country Club and golfers were left defending themselves using golf clubs. The officer zapped the dogs twice forcing the dogs to return home.

In another incident, Police officers in the UK armed with a stun gun tasered a dog after it was reported to have 'turned on its owner' in Blackburn, Lancashire. The dog, thought to be a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, is said to have attacked its 45 year old owner who was out walking it at the time on Sunday. Ambulance staff arrived at the scene to treat the woman's injuries but withdrew after the dog attacked them. A police officer arrived at the scene armed with the taser device and stunned the dog before approaching it and tying it up and taking it to a Lancashire police station. The dog's owner was treated for her injuries in the hospital for leg wounds. Police or paramedics did not suffer any injuries in the incident.

The stun baton is perhaps the ideal stun gun weapon to use on a dog. The cattle prod, a progenitor of the modern stun baton, has been used for decades to control farm animals. The stun baton's 16"-22" length enables an application with the arm outstretched. Standard rectangular stun guns top out at about 9" tall and require very close proximity to the animal that could pose a danger to the user. Most stun batons emit an electrical charge along the upper part of the shaft. So even if you can't employ the tip, a strike of the baton's shaft to an animal's flank would be just as effective.

The disclaimer here is that no study has been conducted to ascertain the effects and safety of stun guns on animals. Until more is known, I recommend limiting stun baton use to 400,000 volts of power for large dogs and 300,000 volts for small dogs. Don't use the device in a prolonged manner. If a 3-5 second application produces no effect, a longer one won't be any more effective.

We recommend that walkers who would likely encounter aggressive dogs also carry canine pepper spray and the Super Dog Chaser device. If one method proves ineffective on a particular animal, the other may. Before purchasing a stun gun or pepper spray, check your state's regulations as some restrict the use of these devices.

Police Take Aim For More Stun Guns

That was the headline in a recent Edmonton Sun newspaper article. It reports a Canadian police agency's view that conducted energy weapons are not harmful and cannot be traced to any death. Here is the article in part:


Police groups want to arm more officers with stun guns while opposition MPs renew calls to restrict use of the controversial weapons.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Police Association appeared in Ottawa yesterday to convince the public stun guns are essential tools that save lives.

"We are here to address the inaccurate and incomplete information that is circulating in the public related to the use of conducted energy weapons by police," said Thomas Kaye, vice-president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

"There is no evidence, either scientific or medical, that a conducted energy weapon has been the direct cause of death anywhere, at any time, on any person."


Our view:

We don't have the oversight that a police bureau would have in assessing stun gun and TASER usage and their effects. We can make the following points:

1. The media often confuses stun guns and TASERs as though they are one. Stun guns must be administered directly to a person's skin or clothing to be effective. TASERs emit two darts on tethered electrified wires that attaches on to a person's clothing or skin from a distance of 15-25 feet, depending on the model. Both emit a similar low amperage high voltage charge. It is the low amperage that makes these non-lethal and allows the general public to buy TASERs for self-defense.

2. In the highly charged atmosphere of a police-perpetrator encounter, adrenaline flows are high. This results in occasional over-zealous use of weaponry, both in firearms and so called non-lethal weapons such as stun guns, TASER and pepper spray. To think otherwise is not realistic.

3. In this same charged atmosphere, the perpetrator is sometimes agitated and out-of-control, high on stimulant drugs or sometimes simply delusional and acting wildly and inappropriately. This makes that person more susceptible to medical emergencies of the heart and nervous system when these conducted energy weapons are applied.

4. Any impartial reading of the data suggests one conclusion: TASERs have gained overwhelming acceptance in the western world's police agencies. It is the preferred alternative to lethal force in subduing an out-of-control suspect in many situations. Like anything, it not not 100% safe in all conditions. It must be used with restraint and with good judgment.

The New Barracuda Stun Gun Line

We're proud to add Barracuda as our newest Stun Gun Brand. Founded in 2007, the feature rich line consists of the BC-10, BC-12, and BC-18. The three stun guns are strategically placed in the market to cover the vast majority of people's stun gun needs. All carry a 5 year warranty.

The Barracuda BC-10 is a rectangular unit with a traditional shape. The 1000KV unit requires two 9 volt batteries to operate. Some of the unique features include an 80db alarm and a safety/disable pin with wrist loop. This way, if your attacker attempts to grab your stun gun, the pin will pull out and disable the unit. So your enemy cannot turn around and use the stun gun on you.

The unit includes an attached belt clip and nylon weave holster with belt loop. The stun device measures 6" x 2 1/2" x 1 1/4" which is on the smaller side for this style stun gun.

The BC-12 and BC-18 are micro sized units. For the Barracuda BC-12, the manufacturer claims an output of 1.2 million volt or 1200KV making it one of the most powerful stun guns on the market. It is powered by a long life NI-MH rechargeable battery. A nylon holster with belt loop is included as is a wrist/disable wrist loop. Did we say tiny? This unit measures only 3 3/4" x 2 1/4" x 1". You can hide it in your purse and hide it in your hand in high risk situations.

The top-of-the line is the mini Barracuda BC-18. The manufacturer claims an output of 1.8 million volts or 1800 KV making this the top voltage winner among reputable high quality vendors. This stun gun has all the features of the BC-12 including case size. It is also rechargeable so it is always ready when you need it to be.

A stun gun incapacitates by interrupting the neuro-musculature system. Make contact on the truck area, not the limbs, face or neck. The person goes down, limp and disoriented. Due to the low amperage, the effect is temporary with no lasting effects. It gives you enough time to flee or call the police. And that could be a life saver.