One popular type of self-defense that is available and popular with women is carrying pepper spray. Pepper spray is very effective, but only when used correctly. I think a better alternative is the use of sound like an air horn or whistle. There are sound devices available to the public that are made especially for self-defense.
One reason the sound may be better is ease of use. If a person is being attacked, very rarely does that victim have time to prepare. Most pepper sprays are stored in a bag or on your belt, and neither allows quick access to it. I think the worst way to store pepper spray is how it is often stored on a key ring inside a pencil case. It is very unlikely that when a person is under attack and panics, even if he has the keys in his hand, he will remember how to take out the pepper spray and use it.
Most people buy pepper spray but never use it, so they don’t have the experience to operate it. Many times the first time they use it will be against an attacker. Pepper spray can also be used against them if they panic. Noise can never be used against them, as the worst thing an attacker wants is to create noise and attract attention. Most people don’t know that pepper spray also expires. If they know about it, they forget about it and if it is not replaced annually, there is a high probability that what they carry is inert.
I think one of the biggest advantages noise has over pepper spray is ease of use. The fewer steps you need to take to meet your defense, the better. With pepper spray you have to remember how to get it out of its case, most pepper sprays have a safety switch so you have to remember how to release it and then you have to spray it. With an air horn its button is activated. It doesn’t matter which way you point.
Whistles are also a very effective tool because they are easy to carry, they are light and small so they are not an inconvenience and they never break unless you break them. There are two types of whistles available. Type one has a pea and is the standard whistle most people think of. The second guy doesn’t have a pea, and I think he’s the better of the two. A whistle with a pea once it gets wet is useless. The Pealess Whistle is essentially waterproof and will sound in any conditions. It is also much louder and higher pitched.
There is also a chance that an attacker is unaffected by Pepper Spray or just willing to deal with the pain. It is not frequent, but there are people who are not affected. No matter what kind of person you are, everyone is affected by noise and even if they don’t mind the main goal is to attract attention, which is the last thing any attacker wants.
There are many different self-defense tools on the market today, but the most effective will be the ones that are easiest to use, require the least amount of thought to activate, and work under any circumstance. You don’t want a tool to be an inconvenience because then you’re more likely to leave it at home or carry it around in a way that isn’t easily accessible.