Violent Crime? Defend Yourself!

You do just about everything you can to protect your home. You have the security cameras, the alarm system and the Golden retriever that barks at anyone who walks by your gate. However, there’s one thing you’ve been procrastinating on and that’s having something to defend yourself with if somebody walks right through all that. What will you do short of using your amazing kickboxing skills (or lack thereof) to protect yourself? You have a few options here. You could sign up for self-defense classes. You could find some non-lethal methods to protect yourself, like maybe a good Taser or pepper spray. Or you could buy a gun and take classes to learn how to use it. You really don’t want to wait until after somebody breaks into your home to make a choice.

So you’re wondering what the big deal is. Here’s some reasons to find out about self-defense options:

A home is broken into every 15 seconds in the U.S. Do you really want to risk being home without self-defense when your home is broken into? If the burglar won’t hesitate to walk right through that security system, he likely won’t stop at other things.
No matter how careful you are, you could become a victim of a violent crime. Sometimes you just can’t avoid being outside at night. Some criminals won’t even stop when its daylight. That means carrying a gun or some non-lethal form of self-defense like Mace.
You’re a pacifist. He isn’t. You could be the biggest pacifist on the planet and it won’t help you much when you’re looking down the barrel of that gun. Fact of life.
Crime will go down if there are more guns in homes. How many times have you heard stories of 80-year-old grandmothers who stopped that burglar with a gun? It’s like standing up to that schoolyard bully. If criminals know that they could wind up being on the receiving end, they’re less likely to strike innocent victims like you.
Don’t count on a quick response from police. They might not respond in time to keep you from becoming a victim. In too many cases, they only got to the crime scene in time to collect the evidence and clean up the scene.
Are you a survivor or a statistic? It’s up to you. Your self-defense options don’t have to be the lethal kind. They just have to be good enough to stop the criminal that just won’t quit.

Of course, you still hesitate because you’ve heard stories of madmen who got hold of the family guns and went on a shooting spree, or a kid who accidentally shot his sibling. That won’t happen to you if you follow some commonsense tips:

Keep your guns where you can get at them but your children can’t. Store unloaded guns in a locked drawer and ammunition in a separate location when you don’t actually need them.
Learn how to use guns safely. Teach your family members about the importance of handling guns in a safe and responsible way. Especially teach children about what to do if they see an unsecured gun. Always be sure to use the safety tips you learned in your gun safety class.
Know your family’s psychological needs. Don’t keep guns in your home if you have a family member who is depressed, suicidal, or can’t control violent urges.
Ask questions if you have them. Don’t let children stay at someone else’s home if you don’t know their policy for keeping and storing guns in their home or something feels “off” about them. Also don’t be afraid to ask gun sellers and experts questions if something is unclear about any particular gun you’re considering.
Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and be aware of your surroundings. What if you miss that burglar and hit a family member? If you aren’t actually shooting, keep the muzzle aimed at the floor. Consider accessories designed to help you improve your aim and make sure you aren’t going to hit someone in the background if you miss.
Consider other options if you don’t feel comfortable keeping a gun in your home. Some people just don’t, and that’s okay.

You don’t have to become a statistic. As long as you learn how to use your preferred form of self-defense safely, you can discourage violent criminals long before the police arrive.

Put Security First!