Dangers of weapons for self-defense: More safety through weapons?

Weapons always pose a danger, that is their nature. However, there are really only three dangers for the bearer of a self-defense weapon: 1) Can the attacker be seriously injured and 2) Can there be legal consequences and 3) What happens if the attacker gets hold of the weapon. In the following article, we will address these three dangers.

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First and foremost, of course, you must remember that the use of weapons can quickly cause serious injury to the other person. For example, when using a scare gun, a high pressure occurs at the exit of the barrel, which, if directed at the face, can cause serious injuries. You will also quickly inflict irreparable or fatal injuries with a knife thrust.

• Should you be forced to use a weapon, aim for the limbs if possible, not the head or torso. However, there are verdicts for bodily injury with subsequent disability, which ensure that the defendant must pay five-figure sums as a penalty.
• A serious injury to the attacker can not only deeply prick your conscience, but also declare you guilty in court and incur high fines. But that depends, unfortunately no absolute answer can be given here. Because it depends on whether the defense is interpreted as self-defense.
• Very important at this point: If you are in danger and have to fear for your life, then almost everything is allowed – please read our article on self-defense.

But that should be the least of your worries, because the weapon is meant to buy you a moment of time in which to escape, nothing more, nothing less. And to put it in a nutshell: It is the last option that can protect you from violence, robbery, rape or any other bad deed.

Here we enter a legally very dangerous terrain. Certainly, self-defense law in general is not simple, but the use of weapons for self-protection is even more complicated. There are various items for self-defense on the market, and in some cases it is even possible to acquire them without any effort. Furthermore, defense is considered self-defense if it is necessary to avert an unlawful attack. Here the self-defense law does not distinguish between unarmed and armed self-defense.

You will hardly doubt the actual suitability of weapons for self-protection, but the legal suitability is difficult. Here are a few examples.

• Self-defense at the Hells Angel trial 2011 – article on faz.net
• Self-defense with a beer mug after an attack – article on rechtsindex.de
• Self-defense using a life-threatening weapon – article on hrr-strafrecht.de

Another big problem always arises where there are witnesses, because camera phones are ubiquitous. If, for example, you are hit and then hit back, but a witness only filmed your blow with a cell phone, you will quickly find yourself on the other side of the dock. In this case, even the right of self-defense will no longer help you.

So you see: Being right and getting right are two different things, so first exhaust all other possibilities before you use force.

You think about what happens if the attacker gets hold of your weapon – but rightly?

• Ultimately, the weapon should only be used if really nothing else helps: call for help or escape.
• Possibly the presentation of the weapon is already enough to drive away the attacker,
• If the attacker gets hold of your close combat weapons, such as batons or stun guns, he or she may become angry and use them against you.
• Also, keep in mind that when using some melee weapons, you must have enough knowledge so that you can use them effectively.

However, it is true, the danger is not to be dismissed out of hand: If the attacker can fend off your resistance, he will possibly be annoyed and use it against you. But if there is no more possibility to avert an act, then you should try it! With smaller quarrels it should be avoided as far as possible to use weapons. This escalates the situation without it being necessary.

Of course, weapons offer dangers and we would never recommend them without reservation and would like to conclude with three recommendations:

1. When getting a self-defense weapon, the next step is to train with it and become familiar with it.
2. Weapons should never be used just like that, they are reserved for absolute emergency situations and the facts of self-defense.
3. The defense must sit. When you defend yourself, do it properly so that the attacker is incapacitated and you have time to escape.

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Furthermore you should consider these points:

• Another danger when you rely on a weapon is the moment of distraction when you reach for it. You become momentarily vulnerable when rummaging in your purse or leaning down to the glove box. It is not safe to draw and release the safety in every situation. You may have to defend yourself with bare hands after all.
• Not all weapons remain permanently operational and may fail in an emergency if they do not receive regular maintenance. A stun gun, for example, can run down its batteries if it is carried in your pocket for years and never checked. With a stun gun, the action could become clogged with dirt and then jam in an emergency. In these cases, you confidently build yourself with the weapon in front of your attacker so that nothing happens in the end. Then your fright will add to the already dangerous situation and will make you even more insecure. If you want to acquire such a self-defense weapon, you must remember to check it regularly for functionality.