BY KARISHMA RAI SHARMA

The fact that women are not safe on roads is not hidden. Whether it’s daytime or night none of us are safe. We can’t change this until and unless there are stricter laws and men understand the word ‘no’.

We, women, have to take care of our safety by ourselves. No one is going to fight for you, they will do a few candle marches, protests and after some time they will forget. It’s sad but true that we can’t live our life independently in an independent nation.  

With that being said, we bring you the best in protection through the use of these apps and products !

RED PEPPER SPRAY 

These pepper sprays are effective and instant to use. You can keep it in your pocket whenever you are traveling. Some women keep two sprays one in a bag and another in the pocket so there is more accessibility.

If you do not have the budget for a pepper spray, you can always make your own mix. Using sriracha peppers or good old chilli powder mixed with black pepper in a spray bottle. This may not be as effective as the pepper spray but it is a good place to start.

Word of caution, pepper sprays go out into the air so depending on wind and other factors be careful to not spray it too close to yourself as you can be blinded for seconds as well. Also remember that this can become a weapon against you as well, so make sure if you are wielding it you mean business.

SAFETY KEYCHAIN (ALARM)

This product is a small siren-type keychain. By pulling the keyring it can generate an ear-splitting 130db sound. 

School-going girls can attach it to school bags or water bottles. Young girls of age 09-12 can get numb or afraid in these types of situations and don’t know how to react. This can be a good option for them as well.

ELECTRIC SHOCKER

It is a handy device and can give a terrible but non-lethal shock. These objects are so easy to camoflauge. Its best to buy the ones that look like lipsticks or other cosmetic products.

SAFETY PIN

I am not talking about actual safety pins. The safety pin is an app designed to guide one in choosing the safest route. This app gives an alert when you are in an unsafe location so that you can call your family or friend. Parameters to judge an area are public transport availability, security in that area, whether it is crowded or not. Always share your location with any of your family members or best friend.

On this note, always share your location with a family member when travelling back late at night, in a metro or by cab. Any detours from your normal route should prompt a warning to them. You can use the accessibility feature in your phone to set up a set of actions like sending a message. The message will be automatically sent out to the recipient if you click the home button twice for example.

Also, spending some time learning some killer defensive moves on Youtube can also prep you for the worse !