Pepper Spray As A First Response

I’ve always been a proponent of OC/Pepper Spray for civilian carry – where it is legal. Whilst I have written about the technical attributes, characteristics and effects of such defensive sprays (in this blog) before, I haven’t written much concerning the legalities, consequences and situational components that should be considered when using pepper spray. I understand the reluctance and concern(s) of using sprays in law-enforcement and security settings, such as the effects of cross-contamination when trying to both spray and apprehend/control an aggressive individual, etc., and this article isn’t aimed at this group/audience; rather it looks at civilian situations where the ultimate goal is to disengage and exit the situation, moving away from the assailant – not towards them. I understand that OC Spray is often looked on as a female self-defense tool, however I believe that it’s a useful self-protection apparatus regardless of gender, and can/should be used by men when their safety is compromised and threatened; I have little time for ego where violence is concerned, and if people want to make the argument that there is something “nobler” about defending yourself empty-handed and scrapping with your fists, etc., I would question whether such notions are based on an accurate perception of what real-world violence looks like; I would rather spray somebody and go home, and drink coffee, without the risk of personal injury than engage in a “fight” and deal with all of the possible consequences – personal harm and injury, legal issues, guilt, etc. - that may arise from such a confrontation. Violence always has some cost(s) associated with it.

Perhaps one of the most beneficial uses of any defensive spray is to confirm to yourself that the danger you are facing is real i.e. if you are holding on to the spray, you have to admit and acknowledge to yourself that you are in danger, rather than discounting or denying the threats you may be facing. If I am holding on to my canister – even if it is in my pocket – getting ready to draw it, I am giving myself physical confirmation that I may need to act, and defend myself. Our natural cognitive response to our fear system being triggered is to dismiss the hazard, by telling ourselves that we are imagining it, over-reacting, or simply being paranoid. If as a go-to, when I recognize the potential for danger, I immediately put my hand around my spray, and get it ready for deployment, etc., my physical readiness confirms that I am at risk and I should start running through my personal safety check-list e.g. looking for objects to use as barriers and obstacles, checking exit routes, identifying synchronous movements towards me, etc., rather than telling myself I’m being stupid and imagining things. Any object/item can be used in this fashion, such as a tactical flashlight, or a set of keys e.g. if you’re holding your car key between your thumb and forefinger as part of your preparation to deal with an attack (and you can do this concealed), then there is danger in your environment, and you should look to exit it.

Along with denial, there are likely to also be peripheral doubts that come to you when you’re contemplating whether you need to defend yourself physically e.g. what if you’re unable to hit them hard enough, what if you’re not in the legal “right”, what if you use too much force, are you even “morally” right to be looking to hurt the other person, etc. These doubts can cripple you into inaction, or at the very least cause you to hesitate. OC Spray is considered a less-than-lethal tool; of the few deaths that have occurred, where it has been used, most have been as a result of other factors – such as weight being placed on the chest/lungs by somebody trying to control an assailant who has been sprayed – rather than by the Oleoresin Capsicum (Pepper) itself. The takeaway from this is that you are less likely to kill somebody by spraying them, than by punching/striking them, throwing them, or taking them down, etc. The effects of the spray are short-lived. In 20-to-30 minutes, the person will be okay again, and there are no known long-term effects of having pepper spray used on you. If you punch/hit somebody, they may claim all manner of side-effects as a consequence of your actions e.g. constant headaches, impaired sight, traumatic nightmares, etc., and they may take legal/civil action against you. It would be very difficult for them to make such claims if sprayed. Spraying an attacker is much more likely to result in them being stopped or slowed in their attack than a punch or strike would, making pepper spray a more reliable/predictable way to start your personal defense.

In addition to the benefit of deploying OC Spray at distance, before an assailant makes contact with you, the container can be used as an impact weapon, when working at closer ranges i.e. it can be used to make hammer-fist strikes, which will have more impact when they connect than if they were delivered using the bottom of the fist alone. Smashing a metal container into somebody’s face creates more destruction and delivers greater concussive force than doing so with your bare hands. If for this reason alone, you should want the canister in your hand at some point during the fight, whether you spray your attacker before this phase in the conflict, or after. I always teach to have the thumb on the top of the spray, rather than the forefinger; this allows for your hand/grip to have greater integrity when making the strike, and also to aim better when delivering the spray towards your assailant.

Just because you carry spray, doesn’t mean that your empty-hand skills become redundant i.e. you may need them to disengage and give you the time to access your spray if caught by surprise, you may be able to spray three members of a four man group before running out and still need to “finish” the fight empty-handed (a much better option than having to fight four people), and you may not land the spray on an assailant and need to fight without it having had an effect, etc. It also doesn’t mean that your personal safety and self-protection skills are no longer needed, because if you are unable to predict, identify, and recognize danger, you won’t be able to access your spray in time. When you consider all of the difficulties and consequences inherent when dealing with a frenzied knife attack, why would you, when you have an option to debilitate your attacker with a spray, not do so? You won’t want to solely rely on this tactic being effective, but it may be a better first defense than trying to deal with the attack empty-handed, regardless of however competent you believe yourself to be in the studio or dojo setting. If we have the legal means to carry tools that can enhance our safety, in the way that OC Spray can, then it makes sense to do so.