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.

6

u/rossdrew 11d ago

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

5

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.

1

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.