| For many years, firearms have been considered | | | | could be used by an assailant in the same manor |
| effective defensive weapons. If you think things | | | | against the victim, the consequences are not as |
| through you will realize that due to the deadly | | | | potentially lethal. |
| potential of guns they are really a poor choice for | | | | Sometimes the emotional trauma and psychological |
| personal protection for the vast majority of people. | | | | effects of a victim shooting another person can be |
| The use of firearms is unwarranted in most | | | | devastating. Even veteran law enforcement officers |
| circumstances. Their use in any situation can have | | | | are many times affected, especially if the perpetrator |
| grave consequences. The use of a gun in defending | | | | is killed. Many victims are unprepared for the intense |
| one from an assault could be considered "excessive | | | | emotional aftermath of killing someone [even in |
| force" in many jurisdictions. It would be up to the | | | | self-defense] and whose agenda was to only protect |
| victim to prove that a life-threatening situation | | | | him or herself. This scenario is a very real possibility |
| occurred and deadly force had to be used. Please | | | | when firearms are used. |
| bear in mind that nearly 80% of all the assaults in our | | | | When there is a presence of a gun the crime |
| country are committed without weapons of any | | | | sometimes escalates the likelihood for death or |
| type. Increasingly it is taking place that even when | | | | serious injury. Once a firearm is introduced by the |
| the victim is not charged of a crime for using a | | | | victim, its use is the only action remaining and an |
| licensed gun they could find themselves on the losing | | | | innocent person may be injured or killed; and as |
| end of a civil lawsuit. | | | | previously mentioned, the use of the gun by the |
| The intent of personal protection devices is to only | | | | victim [ justified or not] is subject to legal litigation. |
| distract and disable the attacker and be able to | | | | Maybe the victims will not be charged with a crime, |
| escape to get help. It is also known that most people | | | | but it would be very likely for them to find |
| using a gun for defense don't know when to pull the | | | | themselves at the wrong end of a long and costly |
| trigger and when not to pull the trigger. Professional | | | | civil lawsuit. |
| law enforcers have to go through intensive training in | | | | Last, but not least there is large burden on the gun |
| shoot and no shoot scenarios and yet they still | | | | owner to properly secure their firearms. There is |
| sometimes get caught up in legal problems. | | | | always the possibility, no matter how secure the gun |
| Believe it or not, using a handgun can actually be less | | | | is kept, a child or teenager could get their hands on a |
| effective at stopping an attacker than using | | | | firearm with tragic results. |
| self-defense devices such as defensive pepper spray | | | | In closing, I would like to mention that firearms can |
| or O C spray. Besides, assailants have been known | | | | have a legitimate and useful role in self and home |
| to kill or seriously injure someone in a matter of | | | | defense, but only [and I stress only] if the person is |
| minutes after they had been shot defensively, even | | | | fully trained on the use and handling of the firearm, |
| many hours after being shot with so-called man | | | | totally comprehending the responsibility and |
| stopper ammunition. | | | | consequences of the use of a gun and has the |
| A firearm used defensively can be taken away from | | | | psychological toughness to use a firearm for the |
| the intended victim and used against them. Even | | | | purpose of self-defense. |
| though it is a fact that defensive technology devises | | | | |