Syndicate
In the FBIs latest figures for the first half of 2006 law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. reported an increase of 3.7 percent for the number of violent crimes compared to FBI statistics for the same period of the previous year. The statistical increase in violent crime also coincides with other alarming annual reports: The National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS), claims that more than 300,000 women are raped annually and, perhaps as expected, men are responsible for 100% of these rapes as well as 92% of all physical assaults and 97% of stalking acts.
However, the statistics are likely even worse than what they appear: According to recent data posted at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 1 in 5 adult women (19%) actually report their rapes to the police, meaning the real number of rape victims last year in the U.S. could add up to more than 1.2 million women. Some lawmakers have begun to question why these rates are increasing, and The Washington Post says the increase in violent crime has caused many police chiefs and state law enforcement officials to criticize the federal government by complaining that the Bush administration has retreated from fighting traditional crime in favor of combating terrorism and protecting homeland security.
The indications are that Americans are beginning to personally deal with the rising crime rate with millions of women protecting themselves from becoming part of the negative annual statistics by purchasing self defense products. Consequently, companies offering self defense products have been experiencing enormous increases in their turnovers. Andrew Youtz, whose Harrisburg Safe & Vault company recently began expanding its services to include self defense products, said e-business is booming for their self defense products. He used the increasing popularity of Lipstick Pepper Spray to illustrate the growing trend.
Its a great item to defend against attackers and rapists, and the effects cause no permanent damage, said Youtz, adding that Pepper spray is the cheapest, most effective non-lethal self defense device available. He also noted that pepper spray products are now legal in all 50 states although a few states have legislated some restrictions.
Until the FBIs annual report demonstrates a stable decrease in the violent crime rate, the self defense product market will likely continue to do well, and clever new products such as cell phone stun guns and stunning rings, or pepper spray disguised as lipstick, fountain pens or key rings will quite likely continue growing in sales on the market right alongside the rising rates in violent crime.