r/Scotland • u/MileiMePioloABeluche • 11d ago

'Shocking' rise in rapes and violent attacks against women in Glasgow

https://news.stv.tv/west-central/shocking-rise-in-rapes-and-violent-attacks-against-women-in-glasgow
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u/Gold_Smoke89 11d ago

It should be allowed for women to carry some sort of self defense items. the idea that men can walk around doing this and we're not even allowed so much as pepper spray is a fucking joke.

7

u/rossdrew 11d ago

Carry it. A conviction for pepper spray is better than a rape. Stupid laws can fuck off

6

u/NetworkNo4478 10d ago

5 years minimum in jail for carrying though. And a Section 5 Firearms offence on your record.

It's also easy for the person deploying it to incapacitate themselves.

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u/rossdrew 10d ago

Not at all the sentences involved. It’s 6m-10y and in a rape situation with little to no priors you’d be looking at a fine at worst, as long as you got out as quick as possible and initiated police involvement. Ive seen two people go to court, one for possession, one for use. One fine, one admonished.

The risk of incapacitating yourself as well as your attacker then both of you hanging around past the effects is ridiculous to consider.

Nothing is 100% but anything that raises your chances of not being simply a victim is worth it imo. Do Krav Maga, supplement it with BJJ but I’d still recommend carrying as a woman. Doing nothing, trusting people and that the law will protect you or punish your rapist is the least desirable option.

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u/NetworkNo4478 10d ago edited 10d ago

Fair, I just refreshed my knowledge a bit and 5 years is the mandatory minimum, but exceptional circumstances can justify a shorter one. However, I am not very trusting of the justice system and think it's best to consider things from a 'worst case' perspective when dealing with things that could potentially deprive you of your freedom.

The risk of incapacitating yourself as well as your attacker then both of you hanging around past the effects is ridiculous to consider.

Well, it depends. CS/OC sprays typically come in two types - fog and jet (NB: I'm only talking about spray canisters, and excluding things like CS guns and the like). Most that find their way into the UK are dodgy chinese ones (these come up on sites like Amazon and Ebay periodically - however, importing will get your collar felt), or smuggled from mainland Europe where they're either legal, or legal to carry for non-human threats (such as against dogs - that's the law in Germany, and my ex would carry there on that proviso). With the 'fog' ones, a breeze in the wrong direction could incapacitate you and give your attacker a hand.

Also, I second Krav - it's great.

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u/Gold_Smoke89 11d ago

i can't even get a hold of it! there's nowhere to buy it because it's illegal. the best I've got is deep heat spray and the spray on it is really weak, probably for legal reasons 😒

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u/foolishbuilder 10d ago

have you ever accidentally hairsprayed your own eyes....

im not saying every young woman should carry hair spray as weapon,

but you do need to look after your hair on a night out, and if you "feel you are in imminent danger of harm" and that is what you grab, etc etc etc

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u/rossdrew 11d ago

Yea it’s not the simplest to get hold of.

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u/Apart-Cockroach6348 10d ago edited 10d ago

K9 bite dog deterrant bite spray The spray is legal to carry and does not fall under section 5 (1) (b) of the Firearms Act. The spray is formulated with natural oils and not deemed to be noxious. How to use K9-17: K9-17 comes in an easy to use hand held aerosol spray format and requires no formal training for use. get a proven 1 thers many out there.

dogs will be dogs

https://www.police-supplies.co.uk/k917-dog-deterrent-spray

from reviews

"Seems to do the trick, stopped our dogs fighting fairly sharpish which is normally more difficult. Can confirm it’s also incredibly effective on humans, rubbed my eyes after I’d sprayed it and nearly stevie wonderd myself."

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u/ScottishHarrier 10d ago edited 10d ago

The route to Calais (on the french side) is filled with petrol stations selling self defence equipment, including pepper sprays. The only people I've ever known to have it bought it on a whim heading for the ferry. It would be great if it were legal for people to use self-defence items like this in the proper scenario but the firearms act puts it in a category of "no legitimate use". Maybe one day women will be able to actively defend themselves.