AIBU to start thinking about self defence in the home and when I am out and about?

It's just as well to have a few tricks up your sleeve, even if you don't ever use them.

I don't worry about being attacked. I walk the dog out at night, just before bed, I dont keep my credit cards in my purse. I sleep with a quarter window open, but do close them when going out . Life has to be lived . I don't want to spend my days worrying .

My late husband and I were in Paris, when a scooter driver tried to grab my shoulder bag. But I always walked with my thumb tound the strap as it would slip. He grabbed, I held on, he fell off his scotter!

Sorry about the typos!

MargaretinNorthant

My late husband and I were in Paris, when a scooter driver tried to grab my shoulder bag. But I always walked with my thumb tound the strap as it would slip. He grabbed, I held on, he fell off his scotter!

brilliant..

biglouis

About 10 years ago a masked man kicked my door in. He didnt get any further because I never used that entrance and there was furniture behind the door.

I had time to fetch a freezer knife from the kitchen (the jagged pointy kind) and slash several times at his hand which he had got between the door and the frame, trying to prise it ipen. There was a lot of blood and it went everywhere, He yelled and ran off. I didnt call the police because I thought I might get into trouble for hurting him - I probably damaged his hand pretty badly. I would like to hope that he was permanently injured and that might lead him to reconsider his useless life. However when I later looked at the cctv footage it could be seen that his mate was carrying a machete! I just called the emergency locksmith to fixx the door. Later I had it replaced by one of those sturdy composite ones that took two men to carry.

You never cease to amaze me BigLouise..I love your spunk..
In my mind you are the female version of Ernst Blofeld in James Bond

To posters who think Big Louis should have called the police... My daughter woke one summer night to see a man climbing in to her bedroom. Ground floor flat, but due to ground levels the window was quite high off the ground. Daughter screamed, man ran off. Police were called. Their response.... What do you want us to do about it?.

I have a fearful temper and I was charged up on adrenaline and screaming obscenities. There was an element of revenge involved and I wanted to hurt someone. It was probably a case that they had mistaken my address for somewhere else. Home invasions of this type are very rare.

biglouis

I have a fearful temper and I was charged up on adrenaline and screaming obscenities. There was an element of revenge involved and I wanted to hurt someone. It was probably a case that they had mistaken my address for somewhere else. Home invasions of this type are very rare.

I can't stop thinking about the DNA and all that wasted evidence; I doubt you would have been charged but I suppose you never know!

Callistemon213

biglouis

I have a fearful temper and I was charged up on adrenaline and screaming obscenities. There was an element of revenge involved and I wanted to hurt someone. It was probably a case that they had mistaken my address for somewhere else. Home invasions of this type are very rare.

I can't stop thinking about the DNA and all that wasted evidence; I doubt you would have been charged but I suppose you never know!

I keep imagining this scenario.
Slamming the door back with force and breaking the bones in his hand ....
finding the nutcrackers and ....
Bending his little finger right back (apparently very painful) ....

I shall remember this biglouis.

I have been warned by friends about walking alone in isolated countryside but this is my exercise and I enjoy it.
I am very careful at home though and lock my door as soon as I get there.

You are allowed to defend yourself or another person but you are not allowed to punish the intruders or chase after them once the danger has passed. You cannot for example stab them in the back if they are running away. But you could stab them in the chest or spray acid based paint remover into their eyes.

You tell the police in your victim statement that you were afraid of violence so you panicked and grabbed the xxx. You believed you were in danger of attack. You didnt mean to hurt anyone. Yadda yadda. If the intruder has run off and you say they had a weapon, or you "believed" they had a weapon, then who is to contradict you? Even if they get caught and its a he said/she said scenario no one is going to believe a burglar over a woman alone attacked in her own home.

In the USA you can get off with killing intruders but here you have to manipulate the system.

MargaretinNorthant
Glad you still have your finger!

You are allowed to defend yourself or another person but you are not allowed to punish the intruders or chase after them once the danger has passed

So I could slam his fingers in the door or window if he was trying to prise it open?

I never thought I was a violent person but that sounds quite interesting.

Years ago I was attacked and mugged while on a riverside walk in broad daylight. Now I am much less confident about going for walks on my own, which makes me angry and sad. Then I acquired a personal alarm, which helped a bit, but you never know whether anyone would act on it if they hear an alarm going.
Also I avoid being out and about after dark, easier to do now that I am retired.
We were burgled once years ago, and that has made us much more careful about keeping doors locked and windows closed.

Mobile phones OMG I cringe whenever I see someone walking along holding their phone up, glued to it, it's asking for trouble these days. I always take my phone, but I never take it out of my bag unless I absolutely have to.