Women's rights to defend themselves?

[ecchimiki]

Just reading this article about the young woman who was so horrifically burned, and now she's been charged with actually having what I would consider to be appropriate self-defence tools in her home.

What have we come to where we can't even defend ourselves when it comes to it? Obviously, the young woman had some worries about her safety given what has transpired, yet she is now on the receiving end of the law for having pepperspray, etc. in her home (she's not even charged with carrying them around in public).

Is it me or is it easier for someone to now get a gun and store it at home? Do we have to turn into the US?

Followup: Possession of capsicum spray is supposed to be legal in WA, so what's going on in this case???

 

[Mrs Langtrees]

The Law is the Law I haven't got time to read the story, but she would never have been charged by just having it in her home, she would have had to have used it...its's very easy to say after the event that she was protecting herself, she was forced to use it. ignorance is no defense in a murder trial and I have never meet a woman that carries pepper spray that doesn't know it is illegal.

 

[Gentleman]

She was also charged and fined for drug posssession. I'm thinking the weapons for self defence might have been for protecting herself when buying/dealing drugs. I think there might be more to this story, no doubt we will hear it when the other woman has her day in court.

 

[sunyun]

It doesn't matter what she has done or what she was buying or selling, there is something deeply evil in setting someone on fire !

 

[Mrs Langtrees]

I 'm not saying it isn't evil but the police don't fuck up often on these charges, if she had attacked with pepper spray and it sent him into a furious rage and he committed a crime he should be and would be charged.The courts would take into account that he had been peppered sprayed and that she started the incident by using an illegal weapon.
It does not excuse her or any woman from carrying an illegal weapon, because she might need to protect herself. If she needs protection go and do martial arts for a year.
I'll read the story , remember you only believe half of what you see and a quarter of what you read.

 

[Mrs Langtrees]

DANA Vulin, the woman who suffered severe burns after being attacked in her Rivervale apartment, has pleaded guilty to a range of drug and weapon charges.

Ms Vulin was fined $300 in Perth Magistrates Court today after pleading guilty to possessing an electric shock weapon, capsicum spray and 0.5 grams of methamphetamines.

Police discovered the items in Ms Vulin's kitchen in February this year while investigating the attack.

 

[Mrs Langtrees]

The article says nothing about the attack, until all the evidence is heard in court I believe we should trust in the polices decision...I lay odds that she used the pepper spray which caused the burn attack. Pepper spray is extremely dangerous because it turns any one hit with mentally of there head, which causes the sort of retaliation you have here.
Do you honestly think the police shouldn't of charged her therefore leaving her attackers defence into pleading favoritsm.
Sounds like a bad drug deal gone wrong to me

 

[WRXXXR]

If she wasn't hot, no one would say anything!!

Capsicum / pepper spray is one thing but possession of meth and a taser....

She's either up to no good or associates with not so legit people. Not to mention she's got someone so off side they set her alight. I'm not saying its right but when u associate with shady people you have to expect that.

 

[svengali]

Yep, this story is an iceberg - we have only seen a small part of it. It is going to go on and on like Blue Hills.

 

[AlexandraSilk]

If she wasn't hot, no one would say anything!!

I disagree. Whether the victim had been male/female, old/young, attractive or not, this story would still attract media. Setting someone on fire is a horrific act.
There really was no need to have pepper spray. As a girl, she has many ordinary household items at hand which could be used as a weapon; hairspray, deodorant even perfume.

 

[chathcock]

Pepper spray has been reclassified in western Australia as a controlled weapon..

Meaning its not illegal to have in your possession if you either A) have a section 25 endorsement on a security guards license or B) can demonstrate you have a reasonable belief that you may require to defend yourself..

As an example, I used to work on contract for a bailiffs office, and was permitted to carry pepper spray due to the nature of the work and the reasonable expectation that someone may attempt to assault the messenger etc.

However, keeping pepper spray in the bedside drawer simply because your a woman and your afraid someone MIGHT break into your home is generally not acceptable reason.

We should also note that handcuffs are also another controlled weapon, so make sure all those fuzzy cuffs you have at home are only plastic ones!

 

[Mrs Langtrees]

Svengali and I are saying we do not know the whole story:
Assume she had a falling out with her friend or business acquaintance and she then pepper sprayed her. Pepper spray is banned because it sends people with disorder crazy. The girl goes crazy and wants to get revenge, a gas lighter is available and she flicks it on and the ladies dress is cheap nylon and goes into flames, who would be at fault, the one that broke the law first for having an illegal substance and using it. Now we don't know this is the story, all we know is the police would never have charged her for having this in her home, if she had been solely innocent and attacked by a stranger.
The press write the story to get headlines and only tell 25% of the story, all I say is I reserve my judgement and sympathy until we know the whole story. There is always two sides to any story, and whilst our police force are not all angels, most are concerned West Australians that are policeman because they believe in law and helping others. I have seen many times police go out of there way to protect and help others.
One night comes to mind , it's 4.00am in the morning and we get a phone call from the police, a car ran under a truck, and both inside the car were killed. The only thing in the car was a business card for the escort agency I ran 24 years ago.
We established quickly it was a girl and her boyfriend driver on the way home from working all night.
The police invite us to meet them at her address which I had.She was a solo mum with 2 young children. After meeting with the police, they invited us to have a quick look around her home to see if any other things would be there to give her occupation away to her family.We found a packet of condoms and a few more cards, they gave them to us and left. I will never forget the lady policewoman that night concerned that it would get in the press and what it would do to her already grieving family.
There is something fishy about this story and I reserve my judgement of who is right and who is wrong until I know the whole story, it certainly is one that would be fascinating to sit through the court case, as you never get the whole story in the newspaper.

 

[WranSlayer]

Pepper spray is banned because it sends people with disorder crazy.

This is not true. Pepper spray has a humbling effect on everyone who get spayed with it. No matter what their condition, what they're on or how tough they think they are, the only thing they can do is close their eyes really really tight for at least 15 minutes.

 

[WRXXXR]

It also takes between 5-20seconds to work. In that time a male attacker could easily drop the average female victim.

Why everyone is focused on the pepper spray is beyond me though when she has a taser and meth in her possession.

 

[TheCock]

Pepper spray has been reclassified in western Australia as a controlled weapon..

Meaning its not illegal to have in your possession if you either A) have a section 25 endorsement on a security guards license or B) can demonstrate you have a reasonable belief that you may require to defend yourself..

As an example, I used to work on contract for a bailiffs office, and was permitted to carry pepper spray due to the nature of the work and the reasonable expectation that someone may attempt to assault the messenger etc.

However, keeping pepper spray in the bedside drawer simply because your a woman and your afraid someone MIGHT break into your home is generally not acceptable reason.

We should also note that handcuffs are also another controlled weapon, so make sure all those fuzzy cuffs you have at home are only plastic ones!

Lots of people in Aus get hit by their bdsm devices and utensils lol