Personal alarms: Inexpensive yet essential.
I don’t believe that the world is a scary place and I don’t believe in being alarmist but for the price of a bottle of wine, you can buy a personal alarm
Everyone – male, female, young or old – should carry one of these at all times.
I make no apologies for being so adamant. Personal alarms often come in the guise of key rings or car remotes; they are small and unobtrusive. But if the worst happens, and you or a loved one are in danger, the alarm can attract help and scare an attacker away.
Why it took so long for these devices to me made available I have no idea. In the 1970s I lived in Yorkshire and the area was terrorised by a serial killer. It’s known that he killed thirteen women and attacked at least another seven. We lived in fear. Sadly, this is not unusual.
Personal alarms weren’t available then
Therefore women carried homemade weapons, kitchen knives, dog chains — whatever we could lay our hands on but the trouble with carrying any sort of weapon is that it can be used against you. But what could we do? The murderer was at large for over ten years. We couldn’t put our lives on hold. We still had to go to work, we were also entitled to go out and enjoy ourselves.
Sad to say, there are still murderers out there – and rapists, muggers and other crazies. Sometimes, these people are physically stronger than we are and we should not be prevented from living our lives to the full because of fear – either for ourselves or our loved ones.
A potential attacker will not know that you are carrying one of these and many of them let out a piercing shriek that is enough to make an attacker flee.
Some are priced at under ten dollars – such a small price to pay.
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