Everyone has the right to protect themselves.
Lately, however, the right to defend yourself has come under a great deal of scrutiny by the media.
Most of this attention is focused on civilians who chose to use lethal force for self defense.
While I believe in the right to bear arms, I am also a huge proponent for carrying some form of non lethal force.
Personal protection products fit this bill and are less than lethal alternatives to deadly force.
These products have been used for decades by the military and by law enforcement officers.
They have saved many officers from physical harm.
It is much easier and very effective to spray a perpetrator than it is to get into a physical fight with them.
Although personal protection products have been available for civilian use for years, it is only in the last decade or so that their popularity has risen.
When I was in college back in the 80′s, I purchased a can of Mace from a police officer who came to do a rape prevention seminar for my sorority.
Back then, few people had ever heard of it, or even knew what it was.
Now, you would be hard pressed to find someone who is not familiar with the term Mace or Taser.
But with the boom in popularity has also come an increase in the number and kinds of products available.
The choices can sometimes be overwhelming.
Here are my current top three favorites: Flashlight Stun Guns: These have been around for several years now, but have undergone major upgrades which make them more effective.
The top selling model is Stun Master's Covert Stun Gun with Flashlight.
There are several reasons this model outperforms other competitors.
First is the high voltage.
At 9 million volts, this stun device is one of the highest voltage stun guns currently on the market.
Second is the covered prongs which makes it more discreet than other stun guns.
The included car charger makes it the perfect self defense tool to keep inside any vehicle.
And finally, the lifetime warranty and the affordable pricing makes it accessible for just about any budget.
Runt Stun Gun: The Runt is the most popular non-flashlight style stun gun, although it includes a flashlight mode.
It has a rubberized coating which gives it a non-slip grip.
A built in charger means you never have to worry about changing batteries or finding a separate wall charger.
But arguably the most important feature is that the wrist strap has a disabling pin.
In the event the stun gun is taken away from you in a confrontation, it can't be used against you if the wrist strap is still in your possession.
Key Chain Pepper Spray: Before the advent of civilian stun guns, pepper spray or Mace was the self defense product people commonly carried.
Although it comes it various sizes and styles, the keychain type remains the most popular one.
This is because it keeps the defense spray easily accessible when you are most likely to need it.
There are many other product options for self defense, so if one of these doesn't suit your lifestyle, don't give up.
Find something you are comfortable with and be prepared to use it if the need ever arises.
Stay safe! To view these and other stun guns, visit the Stun Gun page at Best Line Defense.