Was the Woman Raped or Sexually Assaulted?

Photo taken by fairfaxcounty.

In the past few years, reporters of crime have been using more and more the term sexual assault rather than rape. Why is that? I always thought it meant the same thing... Or at least that is what most of us think. Is sexual assault more of a court term? I'm not sure why or exactly where this preference to use the term sexual assault came from.

The term sexual assault sounds less violating than rape. I believe that it makes the act seem less invading and less horrible! Using the term sexual assault is like calling it, a sexual incident. It doesn't represent the magnitude of the crime. Have you ever noticed that news reporters also use it with the term rapist? Now why don't they use the words, sexual assailant, for consistency sake? If an attacker is as bad as having to call him a RAPIST, then they should call what he did a RAPE. Is the attack itself, not as bad as the attacker?

Well there you have it. I had to vent. Women are getting raped everyday in this country by rapists and it should be reported as such. It is a devastating attack that sometimes ends up in murder. Making it sound less horrible will not help from stopping it.

Compact Pepper Spray contains 1/2 Ounce, Same as Other Sprays.

The compact Pepper Shot™ pepper spray is a 10% defense spray that is smaller than the average pepper spray on the market today. Yet, this weapon contains the same amount of hot solution. The reason it is smaller is because most other sprays have a plastic or leather case surrounding them, where as this compact spray doesn't. It comes in the original small can.

The convenience of having a compact pepper spray is that it will fit practically anywhere. The Pepper Shot™ not only is smaller but also has a convenient quick key release keychain. Other pepper sprays have just a regular key ring. The advantages of having a quick key release chain is that for example if your pepper spray is attached to your car keys and you need to use it right away, you can detach it from the rest of your keys and still keep your car keys in the ignition.

This spray not only has the same amount of solution and a quick key release chain, but it also reaches 7 feet, just as other sprays do. This pepper spray also contains 5 to 6 shots and includes a UV Dye that helps police identify an attacker.

Questions About Pepper Spray and Types Available

This post will try to explain as simply as possible, the basics about pepper spray.

To start, most pepper spray consists of a percentage of a very hot pepper substance called OC or oleoresin capsicum. Most brands carry 10% of this substance. Some have up to 17% concentration! The higher the concentration the hotter it will feel on an attacker's face and the most likely he or she, will slam their eyes shut! Most pepper spray also include a key chain and a UV Dye. The Dye helps in identification when an attacker is caught by the police. The solution inside the aerosol pressured, pepper spray container is oily. This makes it harder to be washed off with just plain water. Some sprays can also contain tear gas.

Most people think that pepper spray shoots it's substance like a hairspray would... While some do, the most popular pepper sprays, deliver the pepper in a thin stream. There are many types of sprays and they can usually reach up to 7 feet. Some can reach even further! When spraying, you should always try to aim at an attacker's eyes.

Forced Cone - This is like a hairspray, it starts narrow and ends as a wide mist. Good for enclosed areas. Example: Mace Triple Action Fogger.

Broken Stream/Heavy Stream - These are the types that usually can reach the farthest, as long as 20 feet, but they are also the ones that use the most amount when shot. Example: Kimber PepperBlaster.

Fogger - Similar to Forced Cone. Ideal for home invasions, especially if more than one invader is present. Caution should be taken to leave the area quickly so you don't get spray back! Example: Streetwise Pepper Spray 17% 1 lb. Firemaster.

Foam or Gel - These are thicker streams that are less likely to be blown away by the wind and tend to adhere better to the face of an attacker. The foam has an additional benefit of expanding on impact, which covers the attackers face even more. Example: Mace Pepper Foam.

Powder - This is the latest shape in the market today. It sprays a powder like substance that makes a cloud in front of you. It is able to not just get into the eyes of an attacker, but it also is inhaled. This causes a deeper penetration of the hot substance into the lungs. Plus the cloud blocks visibility, so the attacker can't see you. Example: PepperBall HotShot.

Pepper spray also comes disguised as lipstick, perfume, pens, pagers, batons, gun, walking weights and some even come with built in lights for night vision! Please feel free to call us about the different types of sprays!