It is undeniable that pepper spray and Tasers, so-called self-protection weapons (or less lethal weapons, as the United Nations calls them in its guidance on the use of force and firearms by public security agents), have already saved lives in self-defense situations – and every life saved is a blessing. However, an isolated narrative of overcoming does not have the power to become an effective public safety policy for all women.
Who wouldn’t want a simple, accessible and cheap solution to combat the horrific rates of violence against women? I would like to declare that pepper spray and a stun gun are that solution. Punitive populism is insidious and exploits our desire for peace by offering us false promises to allay our fears.
We have a right to peace, and politicians have a duty to build it. It is understandable that society wants to believe that a small pepper tube or portable electric shock machine will protect and save girls and women. It’s almost asking for a miracle. But the reality is harsh: complex problems require complex and expensive solutions.
Instead of investing the necessary money to create security measures that target the roots of violence, we see the opposite in some countries. For example, the Governor of São Paulo, Tarcisio de Freitas (Republicans), has reduced the proposed budget of the Secretariat of Women’s Policies for 2026 by 54.4% compared to 2025. Of the planned R$16,508,889, only R$1,639,935 has been allocated to direct actions to combat violence against women. For Tarcísio de Freitas, every woman from São Paulo deserves the richest state in Brazil to invest R $ 0.69 in her security for the whole next year!
The message sent by men in power is clear: buy your gun and don’t depend on us for anything. The reasons I am against the use of self-protection weapons as a policy are:
1- They do not attack the cause of the violence: These laws do not solve the problem. They manipulate our hope and only generate media and votes for the politician in the next election;
2 – They ignore the neurobiology of trauma: In the face of violence, paralysis (tonic immobility) is one of the main involuntary reactions. There is a high risk that the victim will not even be able to use the tool – or worse, that it will be used against them by the attacker themselves;
3 – It reduces the state’s responsibility: The perception is reinforced that “the state has already fired the spray and the stun gun, so what else do you want?”
4- They blame the victim: They reinforce the common sense that avoiding violence is the victim’s responsibility. “Who told you to walk around without a spray? Now bear it!”;
5- They ignore the real danger: The lie is reinforced that the greatest danger exists in the street. Year after year, research shows that the home environment is the most dangerous, and the spray should not be used, for example, in enclosed spaces, for the risk of harming the victim and other people, such as children present in the home;
6 – It exposes women to more risks: Carrying less lethal weapons, without proper training in their use, can encourage direct combat between the victim and the attacker and increase women’s exposure to more risks, such as the robbery committed against a 20-year-old woman, in São Paulo, after using a spray to respond to a robbery in November.
We do not need another ineffective drug, which is “chloroquine 2.0” in the form of a spray or a stun gun. We want and need public security responses that: 1 – meet our real needs; 2 – Based on science; 3- It must have a budget that is compatible with the total number of women and the challenges of each country; 4- Targeting the causes of violence. 5- Focus on keeping us safe, happy and alive.
For 2026, I hope that government officials will remember the humanity of Brazilian women and be guided by our eternal hope for a better world and our ingenuity in solving problems.
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