So I gotta pretty weird dilemma that I'm going through in my head. So I got some female friends who are going to graduate from high school in just a few months and I wanted to give them a gift they can use in college to defend themselves from attackers and whatever(I will also give them a much more exciting gift on top of the tool, so don't worry).
My problem is I don't know what would be the best tool. Guns are an obvious no to give because that's just an entire mess to deal with. Rape whistles can be pretty dandy and all, but those will only work if there's people nearby that can help at a moment's notice. Also there's apps anyway that can fit that purpose.
The only tools I can think of that would be good are knives, pepper spray, and tasers. There's most likely a whole bunch of others that I could be missing, but those are the only one's I know. So I wanted to know out of those 3 things which one would be the best to give to a college student or if there's a another item that you think would work better.
You might consider retractable/telescoping defense batons (it's important that they're retractable so that they'll fit into a handbag). The good ones are lightweight, have good range, and don't take much skill to use pretty effectively. The thing about knives, pepper spray, and tasers is that you're very likely to end up injuring yourself in a moment of high stress and acting quickly. This is especially true with knives.
Defense batons are non-lethal but can absolutely devastate an attacker. They're also effective against knife attacks because of their range. The only thing is the price. I have an ASP friction-locking baton that set me back around $100. I've never had to use it, fortunately, but it is very well made. I would worry that cheaper ones might get stuck closed, break, or retract when you're trying to use them. I've never tested them, though. I'm sure there are well-informed consumer reviews out there.
If you're dead set on the three items you mentioned, pepper spray seems to me to be the best bet. It gives you the range you need and they tend to have a strong deterrent factor (i.e. it makes the attacker decide it's just not worth it). If you're going with a pepper spray, I strong recommend looking at reviews. Many of them are difficult to orient in stressful situations, which runs the risk of spraying yourself or missing the attacker. I would also get one with UV marking, which is used to identify the attacker after the fact. You should also check the local laws where they are as some types of pepper spray are illegal in some areas.
Throw away the knives. You're better off getting them some Self-Defense lessons. Krav Maga or whatever there is. No one wants to get stabbed, so you can imagine a much harsher fight.
IIRC, the humans defense reflex consists of *bludgeon him* and not *Shoot him with a gun/Taser/Pepper Spray/Bow and Arrow* I've heard far too many stories of people using handguns as very expensive clubs, so get a something a la StrikeLight
