Case in point – just three weeks ago, two women were harassed and beaten by two men while walking to Publika in Kuala Lumpur.
The sad truth is, almost every woman in the world has had to put up with catcalls and sexual harassment. Some even face these on a daily basis.
As such, carrying self-defence items such as pepper sprays is crucial – and could even save lives.
Suvikha Kumar decided to start selling women’s self-defence kits after she received many requests from people who saw her TikTok video on it.
“I made it for a friend and had no intention of selling it. But the video went viral and many asked if they could buy it,” the 23-year-old law student told FMT.
Suvikha and her twin sister, Sucndra Kumar, are the co-founders of Desi Rose Cosmetics, a makeup brand that primarily caters to brown women.
Priced at RM43, the Desi Rose Defence Kit comes with a pepper spray, an emergency alarm, a seatbelt cutter, a window breaker, and a key chain.
Despite having only begun to sell them since January last year, they have sold close to 900 sets.
“They’re really popular and we’ve received really good feedback. We have to replenish our stock on a monthly basis,” Suvikha shared.
A customer who bought the kit about two months ago ended up using pepper spray on a man who was harassing her during a night out with friends.
“It’s an important tool for women to have. It gave her enough time to run away,” Suvikha added.
The majority of their customers are college students and working women. Many mothers have also purchased these kits for their daughters.
“Some even buy the items individually because pepper sprays tend to be confiscated in schools,” Suvikha pointed out.
It is not illegal in Malaysia to own and use pepper spray for protection, and the spray in the kit is of the oleoresin capsicum (OC) type, which is allowed under the law.
The emergency alarm is also an essential tool as it can help draw the attention of passersby, since one tends to lose one’s voice during terrifying situations.
“It’s really loud – my dog gets disturbed whenever I test them while packing orders,” Suvikha said.
The self-defence kit can be attached to your car keys and should be kept within reach, especially when walking alone in quiet areas.
In the near future, Suvikha and her sister also plan to sell self-defence kits for children, which would include a GPS tracker. “We’ve been getting a lot of requests for these from parents.”
Safety strategies and techniques
In addition to such protective kits, learning self-defence techniques will undoubtedly be helpful when dealing with assailants.
Whether someone is coming at you from the front, side or back, basic self-defence knowledge can put you in a position to better defend yourself.
Besides in-person classes, one can learn self-defence via numerous instructional videos available on TikTok and YouTube.
In addition, adhere to general safety tips such as being aware at all times, not being distracted by your phone or music, and trusting your gut feelings.
Also bear in mind car-safety tips such as having your keys ready, and locking the doors as soon as you get inside your vehicle.
At the end of the day, females from all walks of life will undoubtedly feel more protected and confident when armed with self-defence tools and techniques.
Get your Desi Rose Defence Kit on Shopee. For more information, visit Desi Rose Cosmetics on Facebook and Instagram.