Women's Safety: Essential Safety Products Women Must Carry In Their Handbag In All Situations

Dec 15, 2023

Whenitcomestorecognizinghumanrightsviolations,weoftenthinkaboutworkplaceordomesticviolence,andtherefore,girlsandwomenwhogetharassedinpublicspacesgetneglectedoften,andthereareveryfewlawsorpoliciesthatpreventoraddressthisissue.

AccordingtotheNCRBreport,thenumberofcrimesagainstwomengrewfrom56.5%in2020to64.5%in2021,(incidentsper1lakhpopulation).Also,asperdatafromareportbyBreakthroughIndia,awomen'srightsorganisation,55.3percenthaveobservedthediscomfortofthewoman/girlfacingviolence,andalmostasmanyhaveintervenedinanincidentofviolenceagainstwomeninapublicspace.

Beitanurbanorruralsetting,womenfromacrosstheglobegothroughsexualharassmentandotherformsofsexualviolenceinpublicspaces.Beitunwelcomesexualgestures,remarks,femicideorrape,everythingcanhappenonstreets,schools,workplaces,inandaroundpublictransportation,publictoilets,differentsites,andparks.

Duetothese,agirlorawomanlossestheirfreedomofmovement,accesstoessentialservicesandenjoymentofculturalandrecreationalactivitiesandabilitytoparticipateinpublicorpersonallife.Further,itnegativelyimpactstheirwell-beingandhealth.

Recentlyincidentsofwomenbeingstabbedtodeath,beityoungoroldhassentchillsdownthespineoftheentirecountryandhasraisedconcernsaboutwomen'ssafetyinIndia.Duetoinadequateeffortsoftheauthoritiesandsociety,perpetratorsescapeaftercommittingthecrime.

Thereisnopointlivinginconstantfearofbeingsexuallyharassedoreve-teasedwhenyoustepoutofyourhome.Therefore,wehavelistedsomeessentialitemsthatwomencankeepintheirhandbagsandusetoprotectthemselvesfromperpetrators.

1.PepperSpray Thisisoneofthemostreliableself-defencetools,aneconomicalone,andhasalotofvarietytoo.Somearegoodandeffectiveenoughtosprayuptoadistanceof20feet.Theyareeasilyavailableinonlinestoresandlocalmarketsaswell.Justsprayintherightdirectionandyourjobwillbedone,atleastitwillgiveyouenoughtimetorunawayfromperpetrators.

2.InsectRepellentOrBodySprayYoucannotonlybugoffinsectsbutperpetratorstoowiththisspray.Ifyouareinasituation,whereescapinglooksdifficult,thiswillcertainlybuyyousometime.Beitadeodorantoraninsectrepellant,aslongasitgetsyououtoftrouble,itisworthyofinyourhandbag.

3.GPSTrackerThisisnotreallyaweaponbutadevicethatcancomeinhandywhenyouareintrouble.Thisdevicewillhelpyoutotrackyourlocation.Ifyoucansensesomethingwrongwiththeplaceyouareinorthepersonyouarewith,itisasafehabittosharelivelocationwithsomeoneyoutrustlikeyourfriendsandfamily.

4.PointedJewelleryIfyouaretravellingatlatehoursthenprobably,thisisthesafestitemtocarry.Youcanthrowapunchandprobablygetatinyscopetoescapeadisastroussituation.Youcanpoketheperpetratorandcausethemenoughpain.However,youneedtomakesurethatyoudonotharmyourselfintheprocess.

5.WhistleThisisasmallbutpowerfultoolwheneveryouareinasituationthatseemsfishyorinadesertedarea.Youcansimplytakeoutthewhistleandblowitloud.Thiswillattracttheattentionofthesurroundingandmakeiteasiertocallforhelporitmightalsoscareawaytheperpetrator.

6.SmallKnifeThisisoneofthoseweaponsthatcanbequiteusefulwhenyoulandinasituationthatisextremelyserious.Youcanuseitwhenitisabsolutelynecessaryandkeepitinthebag.Useaknifethatis4incheslongandlessthan2incheswidesoyoudon'tviolateanylaw.Youcancarryotheritemswiththis,incasethepreviousonefails.

7.SharpObjects-Pencil,NaiFiler,InkPenOrClipperYoucanalsocarryapointedobjectlikeapencil,inkpenornailfilerincaseyouwanttopoketheperpetratorreallyhard.Thesewillcomeinhandywhenyouareinamovingcar,andthedriverorafellowpassengertriestoharassyou.Also,youcanusetheseinthecrowdifsomeonetriestotouchyouorpushthemselvesontoyou.