Jane was on her way home from work at a downtown Calgary restaurant one fall afternoon when a stranger started following her.
Refusing to interact with him, he reached his apartment building and closed the door, keeping it locked for a few nervous seconds until the lock finally closed.
Frustrated, he began to “scare,” said the woman, whom CBC News agreed not to identify out of concern that she might be attacked.
“I don’t even know why I took you home … I should have let you be raped on the street,” he recalled shouting, echoing the incident almost three years ago.
Because of incidents like this, and the reports she sees on social media, Jane wears protection, including pepper spray.
She is not alone.
This spring, CBC News asked a local Facebook group focused on women’s safety if anyone had armed themselves to protect themselves. About two-thirds of the nearly 500 respondents said yes.
Others may also be considering it, especially amid reports from two high-profile people aggressions en public parks this spring, and more a shopping centre.
But legal and personal security experts say people who choose to arm themselves to defend themselves should be aware that it can lead to other risks.
Hundreds of sexual assaults every year
There are hundreds of sexual assaults each year in Calgary, ranging from palpitations to armed assaults.
In 2021, 744 adult sexual assaults were reported to Calgary police, with 699 of these crimes as a result of minor physical harm or to the victim.
Thirty-eight sexual assaults were carried out with weapons or threats, or caused bodily harm.
There were also seven crimes that the police categorized as the most serious, which resulted in injuries, mutilation, disfigurement or endangering life. All seven targeted women.
Of the total crimes, more than two-thirds were against women. In about a quarter of assaults on women reported in 2021, the offender was a stranger.
A small arsenal of protection
To protect herself, Jane carries a small arsenal when she goes to work. She works downtown as a waitress, usually leaves after the last call, and walks about nine blocks to her apartment.
“I have an alarm, I have pepper spray and I have it, it’s like a little dagger, basically,” he said, referring to a small tool designed to break glass.
When CBC News asked others in the Facebook group what items they wear to protect themselves, the list included cans of hairspray the size of a bag, specialty keychains, and knives.
“After being assaulted many times by an abusive partner, I will not go anywhere without at least a knife,” one woman said.
In the thread that CBC News posted on Facebook, the women announced keychains that they have created that look like brass knuckles but are made of resin instead of metal. (Facebook)
The legal risks of arming oneself
But while carrying an item to protect yourself may seem like a simple solution, it can lead to a complicated ordeal.
Calgary’s longtime lawyer, Balfour Der, has prosecuted and defended women defendants in self-defense cases, and says there is no guarantee that the self-defense argument will protect anyone from the charges.
Der said cases of accused persons while defending themselves do not happen often, but they are possible.
“Even having something for self-defense can be, it may be, a felony under the Penal Code for possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose,” Der said.
Claiming an object is for self-defense “may make the punishment much lighter, but you could still be found guilty if you have something that may be a weapon and your sole purpose. [for having it] it’s self-defense, ”Der said.
This means that certain items are legally more risky than others.
For example, there is probably no reason to carry a knife in your bag when you go out for a walk other than to defend yourself. A pen, on the other hand, is a common item that many people would keep in their bag that could also be used to defend an attacker.
A Calgary police spokesman said in an email that officers have discretion.
“If the item you are carrying is intended to cause harm to another person and is not used as a typical tool, you may be caught and charged with carrying a concealed weapon,” police said.
When it comes to pepper spray, Der said someone convicted of carrying a prohibited weapon in this case would likely face a fine. But that may not be the end of it.
A conviction for carrying a prohibited weapon could still prevent anyone from traveling to the United States because of a criminal record.
The justice system can be a powerful tool
For Jane, the idea of being accused of defending herself is inconceivable.
“I can’t imagine, however, that they took me to court and told me,‘ Well, it was either they attacked me on the streets or I sprayed that person with pepper, ’” he said.
But Lisa Silver, a former criminal defense attorney who teaches at the University of Calgary Law School, describes the justice system as a powerful tool.
Former criminal lawyer Lisa Silver warns that carrying an article intended to be used as a weapon can present legal problems. (Jo Horwood / CBC)
“The law basically says that if you have problems, you should go to professionals, and that would be the police,” Silver said. “But it’s clear the police aren’t there all the time.”
Last month, a woman was walking on Mission, a downtown community in southwest Calgary, when a man exposed himself to her from his truck. She shouted. The truck left. She then called the police, but after 40 minutes of waiting, she managed to get a friend to take her home.
Although the police response generated some criticism, the insp. Clare Smart of the Calgary Police Service said how the woman was handled is a model for personal safety.
“The victim did an excellent job of reporting. What he did was also use his voice … and get the attention of the audience, as well as scare the individual,” he said. Smart.
The Stephen Avenue Security Center opened in September 2021 as a dedicated space for officers to write reports, store equipment, and collaborate with various services. (Jo Horwood / CBC)
Despite overseeing initiatives such as the Stephen Avenue Safety Hub, which provides more police visibility in the city center, Smart knows officers can’t always be present.
“We’re out there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but we can’t be everywhere.”
Stay safe on city streets
It’s not just about the legal repercussions that people need to consider. Lorna Selig with Safe4Life, a company that teaches self-defense, also warns you not to arm yourself.
“Bringing something that hurts someone else is probably not a great idea, especially because you can turn it around and use it against it,” Selig said.
He said things like personal security alarms are useful in case of an emergency.
Selig added that practicing personal security exercises can better prepare someone for an assault, rather than relying on a weapon you may not have time to access.
“Everything we need to defend ourselves, we already have in our body; we have our mind, we have our voices and we have our fists and our feet to fight.”
Part of what Selig teaches includes controlling those around you and your proximity, and moving away from dimly lit areas. No one can control the actions of others, he said.
Selig pointed out that knowing what to do can catch an unsuspecting attacker.
“The mere fact that someone calls them and retracts them very often will cause them to change their minds about that person being an easy target,” he said.
District 1 Insp. Clare Smart encourages Calgar residents who are in dangerous situations to try to flee and call 911. (Jo Horwood / CBC)
Community monitoring is also a key tool, Smart added.
“We’re a piece of the puzzle and getting people to come forward with what they’re seeing or if something is going on, that’s what helps us move forward with our research.”
As for Jane, she said she has weighed the pros and cons of carrying a gun.
“But I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”