Cami's Path

Just getting off work, I stepped outside to a beautiful sunny day in the heart of the city thankful for the chance to still have time to enjoy some of the day. It was only around 4 o'clock in the afternoon and the city was alive with activity. I leisurely walked to the parking lot, lost in my thoughts, unfocused on the hustle and bustle surrounding me. Suddenly a man approached me, rapidly coming closer chanting for me not to worry, that he wasn't going to harm me. He appeared disheveled and crazed. I looked around and found myself completely alone with a crazed man in broad daylight of a busy city in the middle of a parking lot. I froze for a brief moment, then calmly turned away from the direction of my car's location. I remember thinking, "I don't want him to know what car I'm in." I walked calmly back to the street. Unaware of the mans exact intentions, I was scared to run; I didn't want to alarm him. I kept an eye on him and kept an eye toward the street. It felt like the longest walk ever although it was only a few feet away in front of some trees. I made it to the street and the crazed man disappeared. I went back to my office and had security walk me to my car. I never saw that man again, but he left his mark in my life. Bad things can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone!

I was fortunate the events of that day didn't take a horrible turn and the man wasn't as aggressive as he could have potentially been. Working in the self defense field now, I've learned there were some things I did wrong. I should not have been so pleasant. I should have firmly told the man "STOP, DO NOT COME CLOSER". I should have screamed if necessary... I should have RUN. The problem was as stated, I didn't know his intention and because I didn't and he was behaving in a threatening manner, that was all the more reason to run to safety. That day, I should have had some type of weapon walking alone in the city. I did try to find pepper spray that day once I got home. I went from store to store and could not find it. I finally had to research where to find pepper spray on the internet and learned I could find it at a hardware store, the last place a young woman would ever think to go!

I married, became a military wife and eventually a mother. While looking for a way to be a career woman and balance motherhood, I came across a cool company with an excellent message. That company was Damsel In Defense. They had awesome quality nonlethal personal protection tools, personal alarms and emergency tools all for very affordable prices. They are all about educating, equipping and empowering women in self defense. The running theme you can be cute while being safe resonated with me. I was intimidated by weapons until I found myself needing one with no knowledge of where to get one much less how to use one. No woman should feel powerless to protect herself; I was moved to make a difference. Thus begin my journey to empower women in self defense!