Suggestions to protect yourself?

[Chic]

We all know there's a certain level of danger in being transgender. There are people who have the potential of being violent everywhere.

What are some precautions you can take? I've heard of powerful flashlights, loud whistles, pepper spray, guns...what else? What can you take with you?

[Jessica Merriman]

I learned Aikido! It relies on pressure points instead of strength. It is VERY effective. Other than that just take routine precautions. Park close as possible to buildings, stay out of poorly lit parking lots, travel with a friend and keep your keys in your hand if you have to be in a dangerous area. Keys will tear someone up plus collect DNA evidence if needed. Basically just be aware at all times and don't daydream. 

[peky]

Situational awareness... recon intelligence (learn about the area/city/venue) where you are going. Follow your instincts. Avoid places where you are likely to run into hateful people or criminals... bars, dancing places, concerts, certain neighborhoods, etc., specially if you are  alone.

I you go to any of those places alone, do not drink more than a couple of drinks, if packing a firearm do not drink at all. Do not dress too flashy.
Make sure you have you pepper spray (the one you buy in a hunting store to deter bears) with your keys, tape a stunt gun to the inner side of your tight, near the crotch. Insert a command blade in your bra, and of course, do not forget your pistol in your purse.

Try to avoid fight by running away, not responding to insults, etc. but if the fight starts, fight to the end, do not hesitate to use your weapons

For any kind of weapon you will carry make sure you know how to use, and do train, train, and train.... 

[Alainaluvsu]

Don't go anywhere alone, and don't walk around in public while looking at your phone or using earphones. Predators look at these things. And this isn't just stuff you do if you're trans, it's stuff you do as a female.

[Cindy]

I also have friend tracker app on my mobile and let someone know I'm going out.

[TashaEve]

Not many options for personal defence articles in Australia. Pepper sprays are illegal, as well as any other personal defence item other than a whistle.

I rely on recon and awareness, as well as not going out alone.

I generally wear sneakers too, so my primary self tactic will be... 'key to face, run like hell, and scream.'

[Shantel]

All good advice here, especially about being aware of surroundings. I never sit with my back to the crowd or to doors. In the very worse case and only if I'm sure that I'm about to be killed out flashes a lock back Buck knife with a razor sharp hollow ground blade that snaps open with the flick of a wrist, but that's just a final option and not to be brandished ever.

[Cris Zoe]

Not many options for personal defence articles in Australia. Pepper sprays are illegal, as well as any other personal defence item other than a whistle.

Maybe something like this would work for you:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026W6XH4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I carry this in my purse. I always need a pen and nobody looks twice at it.

[Evelyn K]

Chic just so you know, in NYC carrying a blade on your person is illegal. The knife laws in NYC are redonkulous. And obviously firearms.

Pepper Spray is legal, but you have to buy it somewhere where it's authorized to sell them. Usually a pharmacy store or a police supply store. They'll ask to make a copy of your ID and you'll fill out some info. Most out-of-state sellers won't ship to NYC.

Carry the canister in a belt clip with your attire covering it. Or in a jacket pocket if the season dictates.

The 2nd thing you should carry is a blinding bright-as-f*** lithium battery powered tactical flashlight with a panic strobe and crenelated strike bezel for some bone crushing. Here's one I like. At night I have one clipped onto my belt as well, or in a jacket pocket.



Those two recommendations above, and having excellent situational awareness (never think twice about running to safety) and you should have most of NYC safety risks covered.

[androgynouspainter26]

Chic,

I'm going to disagree with some other people on here and say that you should never stay at home just because you are afraid of something happening to you-you need to get on with your life, and using basic common sense (avoid dark allyways and dive bars) that you would use even if you weren't trans has been the way to go for me.

I've actually been taking Taekwondo for close to eleven years (just stopped a year ago) and I still practice regularly-I strongly recommend a RAD program if you are looking for a purely defensive skillset.  Personally, I usually think that's enough, but I also cary a small pocketknife-small enough to be legal, but easy to use and while it won't kill anyone, it would be very painful.  My personal opinion is that you should never cary a gun.  If you're carrying a gun, and you are caught with it, you go to (men's) prison.  If you are in a self defense situation, and you fire a gun, and the other person doesn't have a gun or other lethal weapon, you go to prison.  If the other person does have one, a gun is not going to do you much good.

A word on pepper spray-if you're in a hate crime situation, the perpetrator is likely to be either intoxicated or enraged, and it's possible to ignore the effects of a pepper spray if you're drunk, high, or angry enough.  Pepper spray is very useful, but it can fail.

Finally, if you have a choice to fight or to run, just run-it's easy, it's painless, and if it's the usual bar-harasser type situation, they won't bother to chase you.  But if not-RAD, pepper spray, and a small pocket knife are probably your best bets.  Hapkido and Taekwondo are also fairly useful for self defense.  But usually, you should be able to avoid any sort of ugly situation by staying smart, holding your ground but never instigating or acting aggressively, and wearing heels low enough to run in

[MyKa]

Conceal carry and my hk 40 cal

[MyKa]

Guess I should add that owning my own business and traveling to the "big city" yah never take chances

[Kaylin Kumiho]

I got my black belt in karate before I went to college... I've lost a ->-bleeped-<- ton of it to be completely honest, but I do still have a lot of the stuff about getting out of grabs still memorized. Other than that I just keep in pretty good shape, I do a lot of walking so I have a pretty mean kick... which probably isn't enough to really defend myself, but eh... it makes me feel a bit safer at least. I'm planning on picking up karate again once I get a job... or some other form of MA.

[kariann330]

Being in the military I learned 3 levels of situational awareness. The first one is "green" you are completely unaware of anything going on around you. Also known as being 100% comfortable. The night is "yellow" this is a heightened sense of awareness. You pay more attention to minor details, faces, eye and hair colors, odd random bulges in peoples clothe that could be a weapon, street names etc and if going from place to place you can very easily backtrack to your exact beginning location. In this time you have to do everything possible to not appear nervous. The last is "Code Red" this heightened sense of awareness should only be used in combat or a self defense situation. In code red everyone is hostile and your only mindset should be defending yourself, evading and eluding any attackers. I went over these so you know what I'm about to say. When at home, go green, in public places, go yellow, in new and strange places or if under attack go red. Furthermore on top of military hand to hand combat, I also too Brazilian Jujitsu and Moi Thai. On top of the situational awareness I also have my CCW and never leave home without my Glock and on top of that I always have a tactical pocket knife on me. It has a 5in blade that is half serrated, a seatbelt cutter and a glass breaker on it.

This is just me and my way of staying safe no matter how I'm presenting. I will also add though that I do suffer from moderate PTSD from my 8 tours in Iraq (my detachment was one of the first to go boots on the ground) and my 3-4 tours in Afghanistan so what makes me feel safe and comfortable might not help you and may make you feel paranoid or anxious.
Always remember to adjust any suggestions to your own situation and lifestyle.

[Shantel]

I got my black belt in karate before I went to college... I've lost a <not allowed> ton of it to be completely honest, but I do still have a lot of the stuff about getting out of grabs still memorized. Other than that I just keep in pretty good shape, I do a lot of walking so I have a pretty mean kick... which probably isn't enough to really defend myself, but eh... it makes me feel a bit safer at least. I'm planning on picking up karate again once I get a job... or some other form of MA.

Oh I think you are well armed really, there's nothing more disarming than being on the receiving end of a quick swift kick in the nuts. The correct mental attitude is to visualize that you are the kicker at the Superbowl and the goalposts are 48 yards away, you have six seconds and the team's win depends on you alone. I was beset by three at one time, I focused my attention on the obvious leader, it does work!

[Ptarus]

Wow, I never realized how strict self defense item laws were in other places.

Up here in alaska you just buy a gun and stick it on your hip...or get a holster that allows you to conceal it in your pants. Whats the point of having a gun though if you're going to hide it, I feel like its better to have it there in plain view so a potential attacker would see it and think twice about their actions.

Either way, just find a trustworthy friend to accompany you while out and about. I have two good friends who are transitioning at the moment and I am VERY over protective of them. Unfortunately there are a lot of Homophobic/Racist people up here and we have had a few confrontations, but like I said, gun on the hip will most likely defuse the situation before is gets past audible confrontation and into the more physical type of situation.

Definitely carry a flashlight with some sort of strobe option, try to get one with the window punch thing on it. Attackers may not be car windows, but you can break them like one of you need to

Grow out them fingernails! Can't carry a knife? oh thats okay, I have 10 knifes on me at all times lol

Always carry a very hot drink while traveling through the parking lot to your car, use it like a bomb on some fool who thinks he's going to pull a fast one. Maybe.

My ideas are getting worse, I'll end it at using coffee as a weapon.

I look forward to seeing some new ideas though so I can relay them to my friends.

[Eevee]

Flashlight stun-gun. You can use it as a flashlight without looking like you have a stun gun in hand. I take mine with me everywhere.

I also have a shotgun pistol (s&w governor), but I keep that in the house for home defense. I wouldn't want to carry that with me even though I'm highly trained with firearms.

[Allyda]

Wow, I never realized how strict self defense item laws were in other places.

Up here in alaska you just buy a gun and stick it on your hip...or get a holster that allows you to conceal it in your pants. Whats the point of having a gun though if you're going to hide it, I feel like its better to have it there in plain view so a potential attacker would see it and think twice about their actions.

Definitely carry a flashlight with some sort of strobe option, try to get one with the window punch thing on it. Attackers may not be car windows, but you can break them like one of you need to

Grow out them fingernails! Can't carry a knife? oh thats okay, I have 10 knifes on me at all times lol

Agreed, especially about the nails. I have te-, er,..well, in my case, seven knives on me at all times. Also if I'm going someplace new I defer to my 45 in my purse (soon to switch to 9mm S&W Semi-auto). I also carry a small but legal lockblade knife. I spent too much time out in LA, NYC, and DC to go out without some form of equalizer.

However the absolute best defense is to not put yourself in a situation where bad things can happen, and always go out with friends, the more the merrier. There's strength in numbers.

Allie

[Kyra553]

All good advice from everyone I must admit. But if you dont want to be in a constant state of fear or if pointless laws prevent you from adequate defense. Just carry a pointy steel pen and you have ample neck stabbing or other soft stabbing points to hit.  Then all you have to worry about is making sure your back is covered. Less is more when used/hidden correctly. 

[lemon_ice]

Well I have two rather powerful laser satellites in geostationary orbit which I've found to be fairly effective. Target acquisition and locking takes about 3 seconds (which can seem like ages sometimes), and the target must be at least about 3 meters away to avoid any unsightly burns to ones outfit and hairdo from the superheated vapour generated during destruction of the target. Their effectiveness can be hampered in built up areas too, especially in higher latitudes as the angle of incidence of the beam approximates the target locations' latitudinal angle, however I've found a couple of warning pulses sufficient to scare off most potential attackers : ) I'm currently working at having two more launched to achieve global coverage between 60 degrees north and south latitudes, so I should be pretty safe as long as I stay away from polar regions lol.

And if the satellites don't do the trick, then I just run away really fast (that's the one sport I was good at luckily). I would probably just hurt myself with any hand weapon lol.