Pepper Spray Lady - Damsel In Defense

Beach please 🌴🏖️ VACATION TIME 🕒️

Home invasions typically occur by someone you know. If you’re hitting the road this summer, WAIT until you return to post about your vacation.

Tagging your location, sharing airport information, and announcing know when you leave and plan to return gives bad guys the cue that your empty home is open for business.

It's soooo exciting to head out, use wisdom when posting on social media.

Stay safe 🌶💜🌊😎👍
Kim, The Pepper Spray Lady - Damsel In Defense

➡️🚨Ugh, scums are now using the Pope in scams🚨 ⬅️

Stay safe friends 💜🌶

Stay informed and alert ⚠️ 📢

THIS!!!

Beware of Facebook market scams.

Here is an example of known scam:

Stay safe freinds 🌶💜

With She is Clothed with Strength and Dignity – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

This.... 💜🌶

As the Gabby Petito story comes back into focus with the upcoming Netflix movie, I'm reminded of the powerful lessons her tragic experience taught us. For those of us who have walked through the darkness of toxic and abusive relationships, Gabby's story is a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked abuse.

Those of us who have been in toxic and abusive relationships know all too well how these stories can go. As I refreshed my memory looking at footage of Gabby and her boyfriend Brian Laundrie, on their road trip, I was reminded of how easily we can fool outsiders looking in that everything is okay.

More than that, how we fool ourselves.

I know firsthand, that it is not easy to leave. I was in my thirties, heading into my forties, when I found myself in something toxic and dangerous to my wellbeing. I had no clue what had hit me. It didn't start off abusive. In my case, he started as my Knight in Shining Armor. Troubled, of course. Battling demons of his own. I was the perfect empathetic soul to make up a recipe for disaster.

I was going to help him fight those demons.
Only, he didn't want that.. he preferred to unleash those demons onto me.

Unapologetically.

Repeatedly.

Behind closed doors.

He made me think it was me.

I was the cause.

I was flawed, and he was just reacting to what was inherently wrong with me.

As I looked at Gabby and Brian's footage, I saw smiles.. laughter.. playfulness... adventure... affection... all of which I remember experiencing myself.

This is what forms those TRAUMA BONDS and makes it so hard to let go.

Those aspects are very real, and we hang on to them with a fierce grip. We are conditioned to. However, they hide another, much darker side.

Brian fled to his parents, where he returned, alone. He was hidden and enabled not to cooperate.

This lack of accountability is a huge part of the problem. I recall fleeing to a family member of my then husband’s, after having been shaken and thrown out of a vehicle earlier in the night. I had 2 black eyes, visibly forming.

This person didn't even let me in.

I remember calling the pastor and friend of my abuser to help me hold him accountable on other occasions. He did nothing but excuse away the behaviors.

Do we enable out of love?

What good did that do for Brian Laundrie?

Two lives are now gone.

Please remember this:

📣 Happy photos and social media highlight reels do NOT equal a happy or healthy relationship. You have no idea what is going on behind closed doors Do not judge by a snapshot.

📣 Yes, we need to teach our daughters (and sons) to leave toxic relationships, but that is not as easy as it sounds. It starts with modeled behavior, and the types of relationships we grow up seeing is critical. Emotional intelligence is never taught in our society. This needs to change!

📣 Yes, we need to teach our sons to be respectful, caring, loving, empathetic and kind. We also need to hold our sons (and daughters) accountable. 100% of the time. This is not only a parental responsibility. Any and all people who care about an individual would be holding them to a standard of TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY!

📣 Pay attention to the details. Things are not always as they seem. And if someone is ever distraught and asking for help (or maybe they aren't even wanting help) do whatever you can to intervene in the moment. It may not produce the result you are looking for, but it should be our duty to act on what we know and feel is right. Never disregard a plee for help.

📣 Do not judge what you do not know. I remember reading so many awful accusations floating around about Gabby, by people who don't know a thing about abuse. If you don't know, be thankful that you don't, and simply be kind and compassionate in your words.

A young girls life was taken, and a family was left to grieve.

It's National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAM). This is an issue that impacts everyone – not just teens – but their parents, teachers, friends and communities as well. Together, we can raise the nation’s awareness about teen dating violence and promote safe, healthy relationships.

At a time when an estimated 1 in 10 teens will experience dating violence we all must take this opportunity to amplify our efforts and shine a spotlight on this important issue.

Please consider this your reminder to chat with your own teenagers or pre-teenagers about this very important issue.

Monthly reminder to check Pepper Spray expiration date, charge up your stun devices and inspection fi****ms.

We have openings for Safety workshops, drop a message to schedule in person or online.

Stay safe friends 🌶💜
Kim, The Pepper Spray Lady

Damsel in Defense Damsel in Defense is proud to provide women across the country with personal protection products like stun guns, pepper sprays and personal alarms. Damsel in Defense now offers Identity Protection for you and your whole family including children, please check out Digital Damsel on my website for fur...