Pepper Spray Or Stun Gun....which Should I Get?

I recently read about a person who, upon being attacked, pulled her pepper spray and got quite a surprise. Not realizing it was windy, she sprayed directly into the wind, only to have the effects of the pepper spray affect her and not her attacker. The article went on to say that the person was so angry because the pepper spray did not protect her and that now she only wanted to carry a stun gun.

This brings up an interesting conversation to be had..

Pepper Sprays and Stun Guns do different things and neither is better (or worse) than the other. They merely offer different protection in varying situations. And, so when Im asked which is better, pepper spray or stun guns, there is no quick answer. It depends on the situation.

The first thing that has to be considered when trying to decide between a stun gun (or TASER) and pepper spray is how close will you be (or can you get) to your attacker? Of course, until youre attacked this cannot be known. When deciding how to prepare, the question must be asked differently: how close of an attack am I preparing for?

If the attack being prepared for is one at a distance, then either pepper spray or a TASER type stun gun would be appropriate. (A TASER is a stun device that actually shoots electrically charged projectiles a distance away, such as 15 feet. PHAZZER also makes a similar type product.) If one is comfortable with being able to shoot a weapon at someone knowing how serious the effect of stunning someone is, than perhaps a stun device like this would be a great choice. Alternatively, a pepper spray could also be considered a good choice, as generally, more of the population is comfortable with shooting an attacker with pepper spray. However, the situation above must be considered. Wind and other elements can render the pepper spray useless.

Now, if youre preparing for an attack up close, say the attacker already has their arms around you, then a pepper spray could be a good device. But, its mighty difficult to reach into ones purse or pockets, retrieve the proper item, point the item at the attackers face and spray. Remember, you usually only have seconds to respond. While still difficult, it would be substantially easier to grab a stun gun off your belt or out of your purse and jam the thing into the attacker while pulling or squeezing the trigger or button. (On a side note: Ive heard of people asking if they would be shocked by the electricity going through their attacker and into themselves if they were engage. The answer is no, the electricity will not be felt and this is not a concern.)

So, in summary, when asking which is better, pepper spray or stun gun, the answer depends on the situation being prepared for and the person who is doing the preparing. Both can be effective in their own right.