SPY by William Goodman and Timothy Beck Werth March 31, 2021
You may have noticed by now that certain media companies are more interested in scaring you than informing you. Maybe that’s why people are often surprised to learn that despite the threat of mass shootings and terrorist attacks, the country is safer than it’s been in recent memory. Starting in the mid-90s, the United States has seen violent crime rates fall by 50%. Though many people still carry self-defense weapons here in New York City, the streets are actually lightyears safer than they were in the early 90s and 80s.
Unfortunately, the so-called Great Crime Decline may be coming to an end.
Since the pandemic began, violent carjackings are up sharply in major U.S. cities including Washington, D.C., Chicago, New Orleans and Minneapolis. According to The Washington Post, carjackings in New Orleans are up by 154% between 2019 and 2020, while the number of violent carjackings in the nation’s capital has more than doubled in that time as well. Recently, Americans were shocked by a horrifying video that showed the attempted carjacking of Pakistani immigrant and Uber Eats driver Mohammad Anwar, who lost his life in the attack.
Meanwhile, there was an unprecedented rise in the murder rate in 2020, with large U.S. cities seeing 30-36% more homicides than in 2019, per data reviewed by The Intercept. (The cause? The wide availability of guns, the economic recession and COVID-19 have all played a part.)
But we’re not done. In recent weeks, the Asian-American community has been on edge following a spate of random and unprovoked attacks, often against the elderly. Hate crimes against Asian-Americans are also rising sharply, and these shocking attacks have been taking place from coast to coast. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio has begged New Yorkers to intervene if they witness an attack taking place. Nationally, President Joe Biden has issued new guidance to law enforcement to help stop the attacks and support the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community.
We don’t share these facts to frighten anyone. However, if you want to be able to defend yourself, then you’ll want to purchase self-defense weapons for men and women. Below, we’ll share the best self-defense weapons for a variety of situations. From personal safety alarms to pepper spray, you can find plenty of affordable everyday carry tools for sale online to keep you safe.
How To Protect Yourself: Self-Defense Weapons
While the average man may proclaim a fearless outlook, the truth is that everyone harbors some fear of unexpected attacks, no matter how small. Whether it’s terror-related, completely random or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s never a bad idea to channel your inner Boy Scout and be prepared. Carrying one of the best men’s self-defense weapons on you at all times could, in the most extreme cases, be the difference between life and death.
The best self-defense weapons are the ones that help prevent a violent crime from taking place. We are, of course, only encouraging you to use these weapons in the defense of yourself or others, and only a fool would go seeking out violent encounters. While some people do carry knives or firearms for protection, if you are not properly trained in using these weapons, you are more likely to injure yourself than a potential attacker. This isn’t the proper place to learn about firearms and leathal weapons, so in this piece we’re going to focus on the best self-defense weapons for the average person. Remember that while these tools are typically considered to be non-lethal, any tool can be deadly if misused, and both stun guns and pepper spray can lead to fatal health complications in extreme cases.
Successful use of these tools usually involves some kind of distraction or painful deterrent, whether through noise, light or electrical immobilization. Examples of the best non-lethal self-defense weapons include:
Pepper Spray
Personal Alarms
Stun Guns and Tasers
Tactical Whips
Steel Batons
Tactical Pen
Baseball Bats
Emergency Whistles
More:
https://spy.com/articles/gear/outdoors/best-self-defense-weapons-men-276589/I always carry a knife, but when I walk the dogs I also carry an ASP baton.
