| Do you know your rights when it comes to self defense? There are many misconceptions about the concept of self defense. One of the most prevalent of these is that if you fight back against an attacker, you will be charged with a crime. In actuality, as long as you use a legal self defense method and do not use excessive force, it is perfectly legal to defend yourself.
If you are faced with a confrontation, your best course of action is to avoid physical confrontations, if possible. Do not use your pepper spray for self defense unless you don't feel comfortable running away from the situation or otherwise removing yourself from it. Mitigate the situation, and do not respond to verbal assaults unless you feel they're likely to turn physical. It is always better to avoid an attack than to have to fight back. Plus, the courts will consider whether you were a willing participant, or whether you were attacked. Do not start the violence out of choice. If you do need to use physical force, avoid lethal injuries.
If you do need to fight back using your self defense device, do not worry about ending up in jail for protecting yourself. Pepper spray makes a great choice as a personal protection product because it causes no lasting harm, so you need not worry about an injured assailant trying to get you in trouble. The courts have repeatedly found pepper spray to be "reasonable force" when being attacked. Reasonable force is usually defined as the amount of force a reasonable person would use, given the situation. You are allowed to physically defend yourself during an attack as long as your defense does not go beyond reasonable force. As soon as your attacker is down, get away from the situation. If you continue to use force once it's no longer perceived as necessary, this is when you could be held liable.
When buying pepper spray or any other self defense device, be sure that you know the applicable laws in your area. While pepper spray is legal across the country, some states or cities place restrictions on purchasing or carrying such devices. For example, some areas only allow pepper spray sales through licensed firearms dealers or online. In addition, a few areas require a permit or having to take a class before owning pepper spray. In nearly every case, carrying pepper spray comes under fewer restrictions than carrying a taser device, a gun, or any other weapon to protect yourself. Once you own the pepper spray device, never use it unless there is an immediate threat.
To determine the rules regarding pepper spray where you live, call your local police station. When considering your methods and strategies for self defense, be sure that you find out the exact laws in your state; so that you know what you can legally do while still remaining on the right side of the law. |
