I apologise if this has been covered. I have tried to use the search function but it's not responding, all though I think the problem is on my end (on my phone) as AW isn't responding or my online banking. So please don't give me a slap on the wrists (I'm quite sensitive to a telling off being in a sub/dom relationship and if admin tells me off I have the natural reaction to find a knee to bend over and take it like a mother*ucker lol).

Anyway, I've not had any bad encounters in this job as of yet but like to feel like I'm as prepared as a small girl can be if I was to be attacked. I do carry a handy little multi tool thing when I work which provides some confidence. All though I'm unsure how to work it properly and it takes me five minutes to pop a tool out so it's actually worthless. 

I seen on a thread that a girl keeps pepper spray in her purse/bag. Pepper spray would be more useful than the little gadget I carry and if used with less consequences. The thing is, I have no idea where to obtain such a thing. Could someone inform me please. Also, what do you carry on you for protection?

Pepper sprays are illegal and more likely to be used on you than you using it on someone else. If you must carry something, perfume in the eyes stings and is not going to have you arrested if you are found with it.

Much of a good self-defence course is on avoiding having to do anything violent. Much of the rest is about running away if it gets bad (hence the advice not to take anything to a booking that you wouldn't happily lose, if you had to).

I didn't actually know it was illegal, sorry. All though it makes sense. I actually bought a tiny little bottle thing to put perfume in that I carry around with me so I don't have to carry a big glass expensive bottle of perfume. I will now feel confident with that lol! I've also seen lipsticks that when opened reveal a knife but that's for another story.....

One of the most important things is not to describe your 'defensive' tools in public on the internet. General advice is to get away and get help. Alarms can be useful but make sure you can grab them - no good in a drawer somewhere. Also be aware anything you use could be turned on you AND may make the situation worse. An attacker may actually not intend harming you, may be purely after cash or belongings but use something against him, and he then stabs you defending himself.

I've had it made quite clear to me that I should be very careful not to hurt any attacker.

As I've posted previously this week, the advice people trained to fight give is the same "try get away first, only fight if you really have to".

Mace/pepper, tasers, stunners and knives are all illegal to carry which works both ways - any attacker who carries a weapon faces a charge just for having it, or having their sentence increased just as commiting a burglary with tools is.