Find a R.A.D class. (Rape Aggression Defense). Fumbling with bear spray when she should be putting distance and finding survival.

Ultimately awareness and preparedness to react. She is just as likely to incapacitate herself with a spray due to wind or proximity or enclosed space.

https://www.kimberamerica.com/pepper-blaster

My two adult daughters, my wife and I all carry concealed daily and we all also own one of those for places we can't carry or as another option. In my opinion it is a lot more natural to point and shoot for someone used to hand guns than a spray can.

DC and a lot of cities restrict pepper spray size to 1.25 oz. or less.

If she is flying, bear spray can't go, even in checked bag.

A young 20's woman carrying around a sixteen inch can of wasp spray is an interesting look.

bassmaster07 said:

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Wasp spray is a good alternative if all else fails. Can buy at Home Depot and take it any where.

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It is not a good alternative, is not built for incapacitating humans, and should never be seriously considered as a nonlethal defense option.

Congrats to her on the internship. I get being concerned for her safety.

DC is like most big cities. There are some really rough areas but she shouldnt really see much of them on her commute to work and visiting the touristy stuff.

I think the bear spray isnt the move here at all. Its large, bulky, has to be deployed correctly. Wasp spray is a terrible idea. All the cons of beat spray and even less effective. And if she does go anywhere with security checkpoints, both could cause issues/be taken.

Awareness and being willing to listen to her lizard brain are the most important things. Dont glue your phone to your face in the train or while walking. Dont have two earbuds in cranked to 11. If something feels or looks off, dont rationalize or talk yourself out of a gut feeling. If she doesnt like how someone is looking at her or how an area feels, get help, get out of there. Our subconscious ability to evaluate an area for danger kept generations of our ancestors alive to produce us. Too many people rationalize instead of trusting it.

When I am in a nonfree area that does not recognize the natural right of self defense, a bright flashlight that can be used as a striking tool is a great option. Something like a surefire stilleto or any of the usb rechargeable lights from surefire/streamlight would be a great option. Wont have to worry about replacing batteries, small enough to carry in a pocket or purse everyday, wont get taken away by a rent a cop…..and blinding someone before denting their skull with a metal tube is a good way to say "go away" in any language.

bassmaster07 said:

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Wasp spray is a good alternative if all else fails. Can buy at Home Depot and take it any where.

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Stop.Saying.This.

bassmaster07 said:

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Wasp spray is a good alternative if all else fails. Can buy at Home Depot and take it any where.

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No. Just no. You will spend more time in jail than the person assaulting you. And likely end up paying that person a huge amount of money to boot.

If you are home and someone breaks in and that's all you have it's one thing. In the street in DC you are going to jail.

O.G. said:

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bassmaster07 said:

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Wasp spray is a good alternative if all else fails. Can buy at Home Depot and take it any where.

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Stop.Saying.This.

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Very good friend of mine just retired as a DC Metro Police officer. & this is what they carry on their person. I got some of it as well for less than lethal type situations. It comes with a little hand held holster and be sure to get the Gel, kind. It sticks to whomever it is directed.

Few things. Get two of them so she can practice with one of them. You do not want the first time she deploys it to be in an emergency. As with any weapon, training matters. The holster comes with a velcro strap, so she can carry it in her hand. She MAY get some of it on herself. That happens, but its better that she rides that particular lighting & knows about it ahead of time, than finding out in an emergency. It will also make her aware of the "safetey" setting on the canister.

Second, and I can NOT over emphasize this. Pepper spray, I don't care what kind it is, affects people differently. It is not like TV. I was the armorer at my last TDCJ unit and I've been around the block with this stuff and tear gas, quite a bit. On most people, it will shut them down immediately. SOME people, it barely works on at all.

Pepper spray "heat" is measured in Scoville Heat Units. Bear spray is 5,000,000shu's. What we carried in TDCJ was 2,000.000. The trash at the checkout in Academy is something like 150,000shu's. Do not buy that stuff.

If a dude has been incarcerated a lot, he may have been sprayed more than once...OR he could be whacked out on drugs & that matters. Drugs and alcohol tend to lessen the effect. Also, our hispanic bretheren tend to react less to it.

In DC the bad guys are usually looking for cash. So tell her not to carry any. Ever. Travel with a friend at all times. The area's where I think she will be working are typically "better" than say, South East DC or Prince George's County, Maryland, but there is no fully and complete "safe" place. Congress staff have been car jacked on Capital Hill and there is security everywhere there.

IF she has to use it, tell her to GTFO right then. Don't wait for the cops. They probably won't show up anyway. DC Metro Police is in a lot of turmoil right now & they don't show up a lot of the time.

For personal self defense, meaning if she has to put her hands on someone, the answer is Muay Thai, and Jiu Jitsu. Mostly Jiu Jitsu.

Thanks so much to everyone. As usual, Bender, SGrem, and O.G. have provided awesome advice. Will give me and my daughter plenty to talk about on the 3-hour drive home from school tomorrow.

Thanks!
Roger