Guns, Women, and Self Defense

This one’s mostly for the women, because I know our perspective best. There are plenty of men out there who are happy to speak with other men about self defense, and related subjects, so I’ll try to leave that to them. Even so, a lot of what I have to say here could very well apply to the gentlemen too.

Survivalism is about preparing for everyday problems – not just about being ready for society to go completely berserk. Having eight years’ worth of food stashed; knowing twelve ways to obtain drinking water when the taps go dry; and being part of a massive network of fellow survivalists for working and prepping are all useless endeavors if you’re dead tomorrow because the bad guy with the knife wanted your purse badly enough to slice you wide open for it.

I strongly recommend handguns for self-defense purposes. The wonderful thing about firearms is the fact that a well-trained female with a decent handgun is on the same footing as a steroid-guzzling, violent offender who wishes to do nasty, unprintable things to her. Screw that guy and his eight-hundred-pound biceps: give the lady, the innocent would-be victim, a decent handgun; her smaller stature and lack of ‘roid-induced muscles will not matter anymore. She’s capable of defending herself, and her loved ones, against pretty much any two-legged threat. (And other critters…more than once, a rabid dog has been neutralized because somebody with a handgun didn’t feel like being mauled.)

There are a few exceptions, though. Many law-enforcement officers will tell you that somebody who’s high on PCP isn’t going down easily, and trying to stop someone who’s wearing decent body armor would be a bit of a challenge with a handgun. However, the average thug isn’t going to have either of those advantages.

The meth addicts where I live, for example, are capable of horrifying violence. If they’ve been addicted to the junk long enough, a bright light hitting their eyes can be enough to make them want to kill everyone around them. However, they don’t have superhuman strength, and they don’t have enough brain cells left to think about acquiring and donning body armor before they go completely out of their skulls. These crazy addicts are, right now, my primary concern, because they’re all over my community – and they’re very easy to set off.

And while we’re on the subject of bad guys: women can be criminals too. I certainly don’t mean to be sexist about this. Goodness knows that there are some nasty, female thugs out there, stealing oxygen from the rest of us. They can be predators, just like their male counterparts, so it’s important to recognize that possibility and be prepared to act accordingly.

Another thing to consider is the pending meltdown. What are people going to do in response? Some are going to either become violent, or continue being violent. I’m not saying that every hungry person will try to stab you for your beef jerky, but some will. Along with the usual “keep your mouth shut” advice, which is an excellent game plan, we need to be prepared to defend ourselves – just in case our tight lips aren’t enough. None of us know exactly what will happen, but would any of us be surprised to see riots, looting, and other dangerous situations?

Obviously, there will be problems after society melts down. We’re going to have to figure out how to deal with those problems, and I’m not convinced that simply lying low and keeping our mouths shut will be enough. Some of us are bound to encounter threats along our way, even though we’re trying to avoid those situations. I already carry, and I already practice and train with my firearm, so I have an advantage: this self-defense bit is one less thing that I’ll have to actively think about, and worry about, when the meltdown finally happens.

So, ladies: take a handgun class or two. Visit the shooting range and rent your way through the handgun inventory. Look for a handgun that you can safely, comfortably, competently use. Do what you need to do to carry that gun, and carry wherever you can, whenever you can. Be prepared to defend yourselves before, during, and after the world goes berserk, because we don’t know when or where nasty things are going to happen in this world.

Useful Links:

Cornered Cat - A wonderful Web site for women, by a woman. There's quite a bit of excellent information about firearms, self defense, et cetera here.

Palm Pistol - If you have hand problems, like arthritis, then this firearm might be useful to you. The Web site is taking pre-orders, but hopefully this gun will be available soon.

CrossBreed SuperTuck Deluxe - My favorite holster. If you do order, be sure to include the "combat grip" option to make your firearm easier to draw.