Self-defense is incredibly important for women to know.  Women are usually seen as the “weaker sex” and it doesn’t matter whether we like it or not. Those who have more body mass will likely try to take advantage of those with less body mass, especially when supplies dwindle and the grocery stores run out of that last can of corn.

If you’ve ever experienced Black Friday when a store runs out of clearance TVs, you’ll get a little bit of an idea as to how people will act when there’s no food on the shelves. So what then?

Gun

Well, a gun is the easiest and most effective way to defend yourself. I know some don’t want to hear that, but it’s the truth. There simply isn’t a better tool available to the everyday woman, in all honesty.  It takes little muscle force to use and once used to it, can be worn comfortably at all times. (If you just don’t like guns, stay tuned. We’ll include some other options for you toward the end.)

It’s always a little humorous and ironic when men suggest “the perfect gun for a woman”.  The bottom line is that there isn’t a perfect gun for a woman, there’s a perfect gun for you or a perfect gun for me. This is becoming a theme in our women’s preparedness articles. One-size, most often, does not fit all, and we are here to tell you that that is OK!

But because of that, we suggest that you begin to prepare now, and take your time learning what’s best for you.  We can offer suggestions and places to start, but ultimately, it’s up to you to take the steps necessary when you feel comfortable.

When choosing a gun, you need to think only about yourself, as the woman shooting it. It doesn’t matter what your husband, friend, or gardener says.  They aren’t wielding the weapon and that’s the most important piece of advice I can give. If you don’t like the way a Glock feels when you hold it (me! And I’m given all sorts of crap for this by men…) then don’t buy one. Get a gun you’ll be comfortable shooting. I understand the argument that you don’t want a cheap gun or something that will malfunction when the SHTF, but that’s why before anything bad happens is a good time to start shopping around.  This will take time, just like learning the menstrual cup.  But before you know it, you’ll have a good idea of where to start and which guns you should avoid.  Again, this is a personal decision. You’re literally taking your own protection into your own hands, and this decision shouldn’t be made lightly.  I suggest you go to a gun range that will allow you to rent whatever gun you want. Fire all of the guns as many times as you want before you make your decision.

The downside of a gun is the expense. They aren’t cheap, although you can pick up a revolver for just over $200 in some areas.  They are also something you’ll need to practice with, and ammo isn’t exactly cheap either. You’ll also need to invest in the necessary items to keep your gun performing optimally. So cleaning supplies and some lubricant should be on your purchase list.

Once you’ve got the gun bought, we recommend taking a class. Of course, you could learn to shoot in your backyard but maybe try a self-defense class.  Learn to defend yourself with a gun and from an assailant with a gun. This is the United States…you won’t be the only one armed when the SHTF.

Knife

Personally, my knives are tools and unless it’s the one I keep in my purse and it’s on me when the SHTF, I don’t have one for the sole purpose of self-defense.  But that doesn’t mean this choice is not right for you!  And in all honesty, I should learn to use a knife in self-defense. The truth is, we all need a good one in our prepper gear anyway, so learning to use it as a weapon is not a bad idea! There are classes out there that can teach you to use a knife in self-defense, and like the gun classes, it won’t hurt to invest in a training session. While a knife must be used up close for self-defense (as opposed to the gun) it may be something to just add to your person because the benefits of a knife are that they are not just self-defense weapons, but tools and the chances you’ll need a knife are very high.

Related Articles:

Three Important Considerations of a Good Survival Knife

What’s the Best Survival Knife?

Eight Self-Defense Tactics Every Woman Should Know

Bare Hands

Unfortunately, women should also learn to use their bare hands to defend themselves. This isn’t ideal, but necessary. There are excellent classes to take to help you learn. In order to make self-defense your natural reaction and know exactly what to do, it needs to be practiced often, so just keep that in mind. But when you do decide to learn, make sure you are in decent enough physical shape to exert the demands of a class. Eat well and move a little more.  Try to stay healthy.  This will help you in other ways if something bad does happen too.

It’s important to have situational awareness and be aware of your surroundings at all times.  Always know exactly what is happening around you.  This could even help prevent you from getting into a situation that may be less than ideal and lead to a fight.  It’s ok to hide or avoid an altercation too.

Society seems to dictate that women should be delicate, passive and always polite. In many cases, we give our power away because we feed into these societal norms. When the worst happens, a situation will escalate exorbitantly and women must know when to go from passive to a fierce warrior. We cannot stand idly by waiting for help. We must rise to the occasion and know how to give someone the beat down.

In order to prevent this article from stretching into infinity with suggestions and tips, we’re going to leave it at that. However, as with all of our other women’s preparedness articles, please leave any self-defense suggestions you may have in the comments!  If you help just one woman learn something that could benefit her, your one suggestion will be a success!

As women preppers, we understand we aren’t weaker than our male counterparts, we are simply different.

Read previous articles in this series:

Hygiene and Feminine Needs When Supplies Are Running Short

How To Handle Birth Control After The SHTF

Prepping For Women: How To Prepare MENTALLY When Our Brains Won’t Shut Off

Prepping for Women: Preparing For Pregnancy And Childbirth During An Emergency