Effective Strategies for Personal Protection and Home Safety

If you’re feeling unsafe and want strategies to improve your safety without purchasing a gun, you’re in the right place. Gun ownership is often framed as a necessary step if you want to be safe, but data shows this is nothing more than a marketing ploy. In fact, having a gun in the home increases the risk of injury, suicide, and homicide. 

That said, it’s completely valid to take steps to make yourself and your home safer.

Here are research-backed alternatives to buying a gun that are proven to decrease violence, improve your feeling of security, and help you protect yourself if the situation should arise.

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Use effective home security tools and strategies

Why it works: Simple physical upgrades make your home a harder target that can discourage break-ins before they happen.

What to do:

• Here’s a huge list of DIY ways to improve your home’s physical security — things like deadbolts, motion-activated lighting, cameras, alarms, and maintaining landscaping to make your house more visible are all ways to make you safer
• Adopt a pup if you have the time and money, or choose to live in a neighborhood with a large dog population — here are some pet ownership guidelines to help you determine whether your life is complementary to adopting a dog
• Carry pepper spray in situations where you may be vulnerable, if permitted by local law and after you have practiced using such a tool

Evidence: 

• A UNC Charlotte study found that 60% of burglars say the presence of an alarm would lead them to seek a different target, and over 80% checked for security measures before choosing a target.
• In the same study, most burglars indicated entering homes through already open entrances or forcing entrances open, with only 1 in 8 reporting lock picking, which is where additional locks are helpful in deterrence. 
• Neighborhoods with more dogs have lower levels of crime and burglars report being deterred by dogs in the home‍
• Pepper spray has been found to be broadly effective 85% of the time, and it is especially good for safety while you’re out as it can be used from more than 10 feet away.

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Get to know your neighbors

Why it works: Good things happen when people look out for each other instead of reaching for a gun. Strong communities reduce crime by improving trust and support networks.

What to do:

• Make an effort to connect with nearby neighbors or join neighborhood events 
• Try finding groups on Facebook by looking up the name of your community or see if your neighborhood is on the Buy Nothing app
• Join or start a neighborhood group chat
• Coordinate or join efforts that improve community cohesion, like trash clean up days

Evidence:

• ‍This study found that just a small shift in social connectedness reduced murders by 21% and car theft by 20%.

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Learn de-escalation and self-defense techniques

Why it works: Many threats can be avoided altogether. Learning to read situations, stay calm, and safely exit or de-escalate conflict increases safety more than confrontation does.

What to do:

• Take an empowerment self-defense or bystander intervention class
• Practice verbal de-escalation strategies
• Stay aware of exits and surroundings in public spaces
  
  

Evidence: 

• Empowerment Self Defense (ESD) training is shown to decrease sexual violence attacks, and increase feelings of preparedness and confidence, across adult populations.
• One major Canadian study found that women who completed a 12-hour empowerment-based self-defense class were 63% less likely to experience attempted rape.
• There are limited studies about de-escalation techniques and civilian safety, but studies for law enforcement and non-enforcement professions consistently show that de-escalation can help prevent violent altercations. In a study following non-enforcement staff who participated in de-escalation training, 92% report using the skills, 78% said they experienced less violence at work after the training, and there was an actual 52% decrease in violent incidents after the training.

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Be emergency ready

Why it works: Prevention isn’t just about stopping crime—it’s also about knowing what to do if something goes wrong. First-aid training and tools are proven to save lives.

What to do:

• Take a basic first aid or CPR class through the Red Cross or local fire department
• Keep first aid kits easily accessible
• Keep a fire extinguishers or fire blanket handy and ensure your smoke alarms are installed and up-to-date with the Red Cross’s free fire alarm program

Evidence:

• Studies show that administering CPR drastically increases a person’s likelihood to survive a cardiac event, with knowledge of how to find and use an AED doubling the survival rate.
• Stop the Bleed training has been shown to increase your ability and confidence to apply lifesaving blood loss prevention tools in emergency situations, drastically increasing survival odds.
• Smoke alarms save lives: the death rate is 60% lower in homes with working smoke alarms.

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Simple safety tools, community building, and emergency readiness keep us safe

Gun ownership may seem like a shortcut to security, but facts prove it’s more risk than reward. There are safer, smarter, and more sustainable ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.

From better locks to basic first aid, these strategies can help you avoid danger, respond effectively, and feel more in control of your environment. Of course, there is a lot of work to be done to ensure we have an environment of safety. We encourage you to employ these practices in your life and support organizations that are working towards a safer system. Because we all deserve to feel safe and secure, and truly be safe and secure.