What is the Best Self Defense for Seniors? Let’s talk Stun Guns and Pepper Spray

The world’s senior citizen population is growing with each new day and as a result we have petty criminals who will take advantage of this fact. You see to the common criminal, more seniors equals more potentially “easy targets” from which to rob. If you give your average scumbag criminal a choice between attempting to rob a 30 year old male and a 75 year old male, the vast majority of these criminals would no doubt prefer to try and rob the one they believe would give the least resistance, the 75 year old. At least that is what would reasonably be assumed as the average 75 year old is less apt to be able to fight back as would a 30 year old (as always I must note that there are plenty of exception to this rule but we are speaking about the “average” here).

So what is a self-reliant senior citizen to do to help ensure his or her own safety while roaming the streets? You could always carry a handgun (in states that allow you to do so). The only problem I see with this is EVERYTHING!!! Let’s not look to loaded deadly handguns as an option, okay? Great. Your next option would be to take a self-defense class. The problem with this is that it can take many many years to become proficient in any martial art and someone in their 80′s might not have the kind of time required to gain that proficiency and so that makes self-defense classes a somewhat unrealistic option. So what is the best option? How about a device that is both humanely non-lethal (unlike a handgun) and extremely effective at the same time. I’m speaking of stun guns and pepper spray.

Let’s discuss stun guns, which I think is the less likely option for most seniors, first and foremost. Stun guns are immensely effective and can be operated with very little training and require very little strength and coordination to utilize. The reason I am a little hesitant to suggest a stun device for seniors is because although they are deemed non-lethal they are still very dangerous if used incorrectly or turned against their user by an attacker. The high voltage, low amperage current of electricity is made all the more dangerous if the victim has the gun turned against them and is of an advanced age and possibly weakened heart. In some cases this could be fatally dangerous. So I am not against senior citizens carrying such a device but I think it would be best if the senior citizen was of very sound body.

Pepper spray is a form of self-defense that I think just about anybody could benefit from regardless of age. Pepper spray is also non-lethal and can be every bit as effective as a stun gun with a little less risk to its user. It takes almost no training to be able to point and shoot with a pepper spray device and as such even the frailest of users should be able to utilize a defensive spray in self-defense.

I hope this has been helpful.



Stay Safe,

Carl Vouer



To see more items of self defense for seniors please visit your online pepper spray dealer.