Safety device for teen/college student?

[Anonymous]

My daughter uses this.
https://www.selfdefenseproducts.com/expandable-spring-baton/

Want to see it in action?
Watch J.Lo use it in this clip from "Out of Sight".

https://youtu.be/3ThrlTaPWO8

PS. I don't think Tuffy got hit by a car, I think Tuffy jumped into traffic. 😉

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have the Life 360 for my teens. Not sure how much it would benefit your college kid but if something happens you would know their whereabouts.

I have WalkSafe on my phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My daughter uses this.
https://www.selfdefenseproducts.com/expandable-spring-baton/

Want to see it in action?
Watch J.Lo use it in this clip from "Out of Sight".

https://youtu.be/3ThrlTaPWO8

PS. I don't think Tuffy got hit by a car, I think Tuffy jumped into traffic. 😉

Omg, I remember that scene!!
I thought she was such a bad-a55 after seeing that.

I didn't realize how small it compacts into.
There are a bunch of different tactical batons on that site that im going to look at... thanks for the link!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good thread. My college DD has been educated many times to not take unnecessary risks. She is not a person who will go out drinking without several of her friends, she limits going out with flakey friends or who make bad decisions, she is aware that people can roofie you etc. 2 of her friends have gotten raped at college BTW after they were roofied so this is not all theoretical for her. She steers clear of Greek life at all times.

She does not use Tinder etc to date and mostly has met people on campus. She has a pepper spray in her car and on her key chain. She does location sharing on phone with us. Her car has an emergency service. She always has someone walk her to her car in a parking spot and she parks in a lit place.

She has dated quite a bit in college but most of her first dates are with fellow college students in public events at campus in the day time and she strategically has her friends spread around at events so that she is safe. She is careful of her digital foot print. Unfortunately, people can be harmed even after doing all of this. It is sad that you have to be forever vigilant. We are super careful people.

I want to buy her a small gun but she is not interested. We are teaching her to shoot though and she has a license.

“I want to buy her a small gun.”

And you’re the one teaching her to shoot? Gawd I hope not. Because if you know anything about guns you know the smaller they are the harder they are to use well.

Oh no. I am not teaching her to shoot, even though I am pretty good shot, at least when I practice at the shooting center. She is learning at a professional gun range too. And yes, the instructor said that small guns are hard to use. Still, I keep thinking that even if it is not very accurate at least it is something that can be carried by women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My daughter uses this.
https://www.selfdefenseproducts.com/expandable-spring-baton/

Want to see it in action?
Watch J.Lo use it in this clip from "Out of Sight".

https://youtu.be/3ThrlTaPWO8

PS. I don't think Tuffy got hit by a car, I think Tuffy jumped into traffic. 😉

Omg, I remember that scene!!
I thought she was such a bad-a55 after seeing that.

I didn't realize how small it compacts into.
There are a bunch of different tactical batons on that site that im going to look at... thanks for the link!

Where do you get training for using this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My daughter uses this.
https://www.selfdefenseproducts.com/expandable-spring-baton/

Want to see it in action?
Watch J.Lo use it in this clip from "Out of Sight".

https://youtu.be/3ThrlTaPWO8

PS. I don't think Tuffy got hit by a car, I think Tuffy jumped into traffic. 😉

Omg, I remember that scene!!
I thought she was such a bad-a55 after seeing that.

I didn't realize how small it compacts into.
There are a bunch of different tactical batons on that site that im going to look at... thanks for the link!

Where do you get training for using this?

Don’t bother. They are ineffective except perhaps against a very low motivation attacker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good thread. My college DD has been educated many times to not take unnecessary risks. She is not a person who will go out drinking without several of her friends, she limits going out with flakey friends or who make bad decisions, she is aware that people can roofie you etc. 2 of her friends have gotten raped at college BTW after they were roofied so this is not all theoretical for her. She steers clear of Greek life at all times.

She does not use Tinder etc to date and mostly has met people on campus. She has a pepper spray in her car and on her key chain. She does location sharing on phone with us. Her car has an emergency service. She always has someone walk her to her car in a parking spot and she parks in a lit place.

She has dated quite a bit in college but most of her first dates are with fellow college students in public events at campus in the day time and she strategically has her friends spread around at events so that she is safe. She is careful of her digital foot print. Unfortunately, people can be harmed even after doing all of this. It is sad that you have to be forever vigilant. We are super careful people.

I want to buy her a small gun but she is not interested. We are teaching her to shoot though and she has a license.

“I want to buy her a small gun.”

And you’re the one teaching her to shoot? Gawd I hope not. Because if you know anything about guns you know the smaller they are the harder they are to use well.

Oh no. I am not teaching her to shoot, even though I am pretty good shot, at least when I practice at the shooting center. She is learning at a professional gun range too. And yes, the instructor said that small guns are hard to use. Still, I keep thinking that even if it is not very accurate at least it is something that can be carried by women.

Illegal. She'd need a concealed weapon license and would be unlikely to get one.

[Anonymous]

Make sure she has no hesitation regarding texting SafeWalk or SafeRides for an escort. There was such a dumb stigma around using these guys in college, I guess it wasn't cool. She will find herself in situations where her friends are hooking up and she gets left out. I'm sorry, it happens all the time around alcohol and college students.

Don't be me and walk home alone at 4 am with a creepy townie following and end up climbing a fire escape of a random dorm using an AC unit and a good guess as to distance and strong legs from hurdles in high school, lol.

I am embarrassed to say how little thought went into my decision-making regarding personal safety in college.

This was at a largely "safe" Big 10 school, btw. If she's attending U of C or Penn, I would much have more to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My daughter uses this.
https://www.selfdefenseproducts.com/expandable-spring-baton/

Want to see it in action?
Watch J.Lo use it in this clip from "Out of Sight".

https://youtu.be/3ThrlTaPWO8

PS. I don't think Tuffy got hit by a car, I think Tuffy jumped into traffic. 😉

Omg, I remember that scene!!
I thought she was such a bad-a55 after seeing that.

I didn't realize how small it compacts into.
There are a bunch of different tactical batons on that site that im going to look at... thanks for the link!

Where do you get training for using this?

Apparently by watching a J Lo movie, didn’t you read the post.

[Anonymous]

Street smarts. How I raised my kids. My daughter will be 18 tomorrow, she's been able to protect herself for years, and has done so. She's only 5'1" and weighs maybe a hundred lbs, but I know how she was raised, and I know that she is more than equal to any situation, even a dangerous one. She is getting ready to get her motorcycle license, and we ride without helmets where we live. She's fearless. Used to go storm chasing when she was 15, and she'd call me and say I'm headed toward such-and-such place because there's a tornado warning, just calling to tell you, in case I die. I'd laugh and say I just got the alert for the warning, thought you'd be headed that way.
Ghost Rider: You can't live in fear.
Good luck to your kid, OP. Tell them to always be aware of their surroundings, and listen to their gut feeling above all. That gut feeling can save your life, if you learn to pay attention to it over anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have strongly been considering this one for my DD who is a senior in HS this year but works late and often leaves with just one other person.

https://www.invisawear.com/

OP here. Thanks for sharing this. I am strongly considering it! Apparently it has to be within 30 feet of their phone to work. Of course tge first thing an abductor would do is toss their phone. But I am wondering if pairing it with an apple watch would be good. I feel like they would be much less likely to take their watch off of them before taking them to a secondary location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Street smarts. How I raised my kids. My daughter will be 18 tomorrow, she's been able to protect herself for years, and has done so. She's only 5'1" and weighs maybe a hundred lbs, but I know how she was raised, and I know that she is more than equal to any situation, even a dangerous one. She is getting ready to get her motorcycle license, and we ride without helmets where we live. She's fearless. Used to go storm chasing when she was 15, and she'd call me and say I'm headed toward such-and-such place because there's a tornado warning, just calling to tell you, in case I die. I'd laugh and say I just got the alert for the warning, thought you'd be headed that way.
Ghost Rider: You can't live in fear.
Good luck to your kid, OP. Tell them to always be aware of their surroundings, and listen to their gut feeling above all. That gut feeling can save your life, if you learn to pay attention to it over anything else.

This took an interesting turn...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College girls don't get attacked out in the open where pepper spray or a whistle would matter. College girls do end up pinned under drunk men that they voluntarily went home with or took home, who now refuse to leave or listen. You need to have a conversation with your kid about what to do in various situations, including the situations that are already somewhat out of control....or if a situation went over the line and it is the next morning.

There are techniques even for these terrible situations, but as PP’s have observed, staying out of trouble is way easier than getting out of trouble.

I agree with the PP regarding that being a much more likely scenario.

And no “techniques” won’t help because it’s extremely common to panic and be too scared to do anything at all.

Self defense classes that are routine and last for a significant amount of time could definitely help but that’s not what is happening.

And those who claim their DD are too smart and will avoid risks and risky situations are kidding themselves. I was that DD and my parents would have said they were certain I would never party or drink and of course they really did believe this. But the truth was I had been told by those same parents for some long about how mature and smart I was, that I became over confident and convinced I was always making the right choice or if not I could handle myself so yes I got into some bad situations and I am really lucky there were others around to help out. It turns out I misjudged risk in plenty of situations and my false air of maturity often made me an easier target believe it or not because it attracted older guys.