Today, we received another comment on our post featuring the RapeX anti-rape condom.  The name has been changed to Rape-aXe and apparently upon checking their site again, it’s been changed due to copyright issues on the name.

 I still can find no products available for purchase, just pictures, a frequently asked questions section and a “contact us” form??

The recurring remarks from that post that give me pause are from women actually, believing that in the end, they will not be able to stop the rapist.  I believe that some women are pre-conditioned to feel that they are helpless. 

I also get a lot of heat that women don’t want to carry a gun or go to a martial arts school and become a “black belt” to defend themselves.

Okay, I’m down with that ladies, really but if you didn’t read my September post Self Defense With Attitude, I think it’s time that I re-introduce you to Dr. Melissa Soalt, A.K.A “Dr. Ruthless”  hahhaha!!

You’re a lot tougher than you think girls, just watch the video of this little spit-fire in action and tell me you can’t put a hurt on a man if you need to!

I have been a long-time fan of a Black Belt Hall of Famer named Melissa Soalt, AKA “Dr. Ruthless.”  This lady is a real ball of fire and just as sweet as can be – unless you try to grab her!

The good Doctor has been training women for many years on how to tap into their primal instinct for survival and use this energy to put a hurt on attackers of all sizes.

She has been featured on TV shows, has made tapes, DVDs and written reams of copy, all in the fight to keep women safe.  I can’t think of a women’s self defense instructor that I admire more than Melissa Soalt.

I could extol her virtues further but rather than blabber on about how cool this lady is, I’m going to send you to her website and let you meet her for yourself.

Don’t forget to check out her blog while you’re reading all of the great information she offers you on her website.  So without further ado….here’s Dr. Ruthless!

Mace has come out with a personal sized 10% OC pepper spray designed for women, with self defense in mind.  They call it “Hot Pink” and it’s a great product. 

Don’t let the color fool you.  It’s real Mace and holds more pepper spray than most keychain models.  It contains 18 grams of spray and fires 10 one second bursts.

Effective range is 8 to 12 feet.  That’s plenty of distance to spray a world of hurt in an attacker’s face and allow time to get away.  They’re available at our self defense stores, linked on the left side of this page.  Get some now before you get - got!

How about visiting me and checking out my Squidoo lens on self defense products for women.  You’ll enjoy it a lot – I made it just for you!

It’s got lot’s of cool information, more tips and tricks directed just for you ladies who need them the most.  It only takes a few minutes okay?  See you there!

How useful is a stun gun for women in a self defense scenario:

Well, stun guns are handy self defense weapons commonly used by women. They are hand held electronic devices used for deterring attackers by means of a high voltage burst of electricity.

Is it safe to use stun guns:

If you are using a standard model commercial stun gun, then you can only immobilize an assailant for up to several minutes and you won’t cause any permanent damage to an attacker.

Alternatives other than stun guns:

There are a wide variety of pepper sprays that can be substituted for stun guns. People believe that the disadvantage of using pepper spray is that the windy conditions can adversely impact it’s use as a solid self defense deterrent. My opinion is that at point blank range, it’s better than nothing and even more effective than a stun gun because it can be used without physical contact with an attacker.

In addition, there are a wide variety of delivery systems, so if the wind issue bothers you, simply pick up a model that has “stream delivery” or a gel and you’ll not have a worry about possibly getting any on yourself.

Is it legal for a woman to “conceal carry” Pepper Spray or Mace:

In most cases the answer is yes!  Some States or Cities like New York require that you purchase pepper spray from a licensed firearms dealer or a licensed Pharmacist, but in almost all of the 50 States, that is an exception. 99% of jurisdictions allow the carrying and use of pepper spray or Mace.

Pepper spray is non-lethal and the effects are dramatic but only temporary.  This allows you to escape and avoid an attacker, thief or rapist, temporarily.

So, in other words, a woman can own pepper spray and use it if she is getting mugged, as long as long as she buys it from a “licensed dealer” in NY state (check laws where you reside).

So, to condense this even further, I advocate that women have a stun gun or preferably a canister of pepper spray or Mace to ward of attackers and possibly save themselves from all sorts of attacks. They are so affordable that a lady can easily afford to own both deterrents.  If the weather conditions worry you, then be sure to choose a stream or gel delivery system.

An everyday question and answer that might be of interest or help:

“Hello,

I am trying to figure out what would be the best mace product for me. I walk everywhere, get rides and take buses and trains using a waist pack to carry things all the time. I also take a lot of walks for exercise. I am looking for something that I can attach to a waist pack that has enough shots in it if something happens which I can put in a  leather case that you might sell or I might find somewhere else. Some of the mace just does not seem to have enough shots in it if you miss or something and with the foam, couldn’t they throw or wipe it on you? I like the idea of the fogger because it can protect you from more than one assailant but it seems that it would not be good for indoor use as it could harm you and those in your home  who you are trying to protect. What do you think of the fogger for someone like me when I am outside? Do you sell a leather case for it?  Thanks, Customer”

Reply:

You certainly have a lot of concerns and they are well thought out, I might add.  One product can’t be “all things to all situations”.  Also, Mace is a Brand name and not the only kid on the block.  I might add a couple of suggestions:  
 
For different situations you may want to consider purchasing two products that will fulfill your needs in many situations according to what you are expecting to encounter.
 
I just sent a package to my daughter that contained two pepper spray products.  One for being “out and about” and the other for at home with her children where ambient particles, left floating in the air, might contaminate the air and give everyone symptoms.
 
I have seen several people maced/tear-gassed/pepper sprayed in my life.  I have never heard of or seen a perpetrator try to wipe the stuff onto the sprayer.  It’s so immediately painful that all they do is fight for air and try to rub it off of their faces.  They can’t however, nor can they see you clearly, so let’s put that worry to rest.
 
My recommendation to 99.9% of women that I know personally and that I have given to my wife and daughter is Mace Pepper Gel.    It doesn’t come with a leatherette keychain case, but it would probably fit in the LS-H4 holster for the 4oz Pepper Shot pepper spray (might need a little paper or cotton on the bottom to adjust the fit). 
 
The Pepper Shot 4oz and holster combination might be just what you need anyway, it’s available in stream or fog selections and the holster I mentioned is made specifically for it.
 
“Our 4 ounce Pepper Shot™ is a favorite with security guards and gives great protection at home. Get the leatherette holster with belt clip to carry on your belt. It’s available in a stream or fogger. 4 oz. stream has range of 15-18 feet and 21-22 one second shots. The 4 oz. fogger has range of 15-18 feet and 18-20 one second shots.”
 
For a knock around keychain pepper spray that you can take anywhere and hang from your keys, you might try one of these keychain models, or Mace brand keychain models

Consider, for a larger number of bursts, the Mace personal size, which has a higher capacity and still has a keychain and a belt clip.

If you would like to further research my opinions and recommendations go to our Blog: Crime-Information.com and type mace or pepper spray in the search box to see various articles written, that include these items.
 
I hope this helps a bit.  Have a great Valentine’s Day!

I wouldn’t attempt to post an in-depth or comprehensive class of hand grab escapes.  Also, I don’t want to duplicate a lot of information I’ve already posted. So here are a few simple escapes to keep unwanted hands off of your wrists. These must be applied very fast upon contact!

A’ = Attacker, mugger, po’ed person, overly amorous type

B’ = YOU!

A’ reaches with right hand and grabs your left wrist. B’ quickly rotates wrist in a swift counter-clockwise circle which breaks the hold of the weak link “the thumb,” and peels the hand off easily. (Advanced) – B’ also catches the peeled off hand and pulls A’ off balance at the same time.

In a mirror image, the same applies when A’ does a left hand grab to B’ s right wrist – except the circle becomes a clockwise motion.

A’ reaches across with the right hand and grabs the right wrist. B’ has many options; the clockwise circle as above (also with the advanced portion added).

Or, in a another advanced escape, as the circle rotates B’ captures and grasps the wrist of A’, pulls it close and while upsetting the balance of A’, the arm can be broken at the elbow or A’ can be taken down. This is done with a circular, forward, step of the left leg, while bringing either the body, or the left elbow, and/or upper forearm, swiftly into the out-stretched arm at the elbow area, or shoulder if going for a take-down. Of course, B’ may also shoot a variety of quick blows to the face, throat and eyes. Perhaps a knife hand or back-fisted strike, and then go for the elbow break or take-down .

Just a little imagination and a willing training partner will open up all of the possibilities and variations of the aforementioned movements. Remember to Be Careful when practicing joint locking or striking techniques. Injuries are easily inflicted.

I should mention that if a grab is so tight that it won’t peel off easily, B’ can always use the free hand to punch the grabbing hand squarely and with “intent!” I would like to add that B’ always has his/her legs in play for short powerful kicks on such occasions as well.

Remember to learn slowly and softly, being very careful before speeding things up!  These should keep you busy for awhile – start at the top and remember your A’s from your B’s.  I hope I did – cheers!

Personal alarms are the best deterrent against a potential attacker, if one is not inclined to use more aggressive methods to fend off would be assailants.  Just a small keychain personal alarm, with a high decibel alert and flashing light may be enough to stop an attacker dead in his tracks.

 I had a conversation with a young lady who would not consider “carrying” a handgun, using Mace pepper spray or a stun gun.  Her personality was simply too gentle to allow for combative methods of avoiding attacks.  Even though she began by stating that she was having some problems with a man, she would not consider using anything aggressive to preserve her safety. I respect her decision but don’t understand this mindset.  A martial arts background has biased my understanding?

She was very keen on the idea of personal attack alarms.  They will work under the proper conditions.  Someone must be within earshot to be alerted or be able to see the flashing light if such a model is used.  I prefer recommending that women “at risk” use the personal alarm as the first line of defense, followed by pepper spray and either running away or fighting back, as a last resort!

Richard Cooey was executed by lethal injection 10/14/2008 after his last minute appeal was rejected.  Cooey, and an accomplice were convicted of the brutal rape, torture and murders of two University of Akron women.  They had apparently thrown slabs of concrete onto Interstate Route 77.  The victims’ car was struck and Cooey along with his partner ran out as if to rescue them but instead, dragged them into a nearby field and for 3 1/2 hours, raped, tortured, bludgeoned and stabbed them to death. Cooey then carved an “X” on the stomach of both women. A most heinous crime indeed!

In an earlier post, we detailed Cooey’s appeal - that he could not be executed in a humane manner since prison food had led to his morbid obesity - making his veins inaccessible, humanely. His pleas fell on deaf ears as his veins were easily found and the execution went forward with Cooey being pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m. ET.

It was reported that Cooey went out showing no remorse and screaming for his lawyer and  using expletives as his execution began. His final moments were filled with vulgarity and hatred. His life was finally over and closure was realized for the families of the two murdered coeds.

We encourage those who read this post, to conduct a search on his name “Richard Cooey” and read the various newspaper reports on this crime. It is our hope that by reading more in-depth about this case, that young women and the parents of female University students become better educated regarding the safety of their loved ones.

There are many evil men who prey on young women and hang out around Colleges across the country.  It’s akin to nature programs that show how the congregation of prey species attract every sort of predator and death lies in wait for those who aren’t careful. Had these young women been armed with a good pepper spray and/or a high powered stun gun, they may have had a small chance at surviving this brutal attack.

I’m not saying such was the case in this crime, due to a lack of evidence regarding the women’s health after their car was struck with a piece of concrete. They may not have fared any better but in many other cases, where the victims are alert and able, having solid self-defense deterrents can spell the difference between life and death.