Using Commonplace Objects for Self-Defense

Being resourceful can often save your life if you find yourself in trouble. Due to the popularity of pepper sprays, personal alarms and stun guns, we often overlook the possible uses of everyday items as potential weapons for fending off attacks and escaping violence. But relying too much on these items can be problematic. You won’t always have access to them, or your attacker might take it from you, rendering you weaponless, but not necessarily defenseless, if you are able to improvise.

Almost everything around you can be used as a weapon, but to be able to use them, you have to recognize their serviceability. Attending self-defense seminars and workshops that can teach you how to use common objects as improvised weapons can increase your ability to recognize potential weapons in your surroundings. In addition, since information is a very powerful tool for defending one’s self, the more you know, the more you can effectively use these items. Not only will you be able to increase the damage your attacker will incur, you can also minimize your risk of getting hurt more than necessary.

If you are outside, you can use sand, coins and hot coffee by throwing them on an attacker’s face to maximize their damage in lieu of pepper spray. Objects with pointed ends like hair pins or hair sticks, stiletto shoes and pens can be used to jab at the soft parts of your attacker’s body like the eyes, the throat and if you apply enough force can also cause damage on the hands, arms and belly. Rocks and shoulder bags can be used to hit your attacker, just don’t throw these items and hope they connect.

And if you are ever attacked inside your house, use everything around you to defend yourself. Almost everything is a potential weapon in your kitchen, knives are very effective when used to cut and stab, just make sure your attacker does not take it from you. Boiling water, soup or any hot and steaming dishes can be thrown against your assailant if he is close enough, or on the floor to delay his approach. Wooden cutting boards, rolling pins, pots and pans, glasses, plates, sharpening steels, bottles and coffee makers can be used to slam or stab your assailant on his face, head and other parts of his body.

In your bedroom, you can use your table lamp, the hardcover book you are reading, your pillow and even your blanket. Some of these items might not actually cause real harm on your assailant but can be used effectively to distract him and give you that needed moment to find much more damaging objects or to escape.

There are other objects not mentioned here, found inside and outside your house, in your office, in the street, in parks and in other places you visit, that you can use to defend yourself. The key to effectively using them in your defense is in being observant and in never dismissing the possibility of these objects becoming useful to you.