Young women in cities are buying self-defense devices and learning combat skills to ward of sexual predators after the recent attacks on college students, writes Zheng Jinran

After reading reports about several young women being raped or even murdered within a month, Li Deyue, a college student in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, felt unsafe walking back to her dormitory at night after her part-time job.

"The alarming news made my friends and me nervous," Li says.

At least four female college students were murdered in different cities within a month while a number of young women were reported missing.

The incidents have sent a chill down young women's spine, especially those staying alone in cities, and raised security concerns.

In fact, women are feeling so insecure that they have started buying small devices designed to protect them from sexual predators. As a result, such devices are now on China's largest online market's best-selling list.

Li is one such buyer. In early September, she bought some devices, including screaming alarms and glare flashlights, on taobao.com, the largest online shopping service provider in China.

"I don't know whether they will work or not, but carrying them makes me feel a little secure," says the 22-year-old.

Booming business

Many other young women, too, have purchased similar protection devices, helping shoot up their sales in the first week of September when many universities started their new semester.

The taobao trend index shows that, in the month until Sept 6, sales of self-defense devices increased 15 times year-on-year, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The owner of a shop on taobao.com says glare flashlights, which can stretch out like a stick, are among the most popular products.

More than 400 have been sold, mostly to women in big cities, he says.

The glare flashlights cost between 33 yuan ($5.4) and 700 yuan, depending on their functions.

Apart from the glare flashlights, many other protection and self-defense devices, such as small alarms, pepper sprays and specially designed sharp pens, have become hot selling items, with their prices ranging from tens to hundreds of yuan. And to meet the aesthetic needs of women, some of the devices come with appealing designs - in the shape of the heart or beetle - and colors.

Quality concerns

Compared with the surge in sales, however, the quality of some of the products is questionable.

Quite a few consumers have complained about the poor quality of the devices.

A resident of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, bought a bottle of pepper spray from an online shop recently, but the sprinkle head got stuck the second time she tried to use it as a trial. The pepper spray is now useless.

"There was no formal trademark or label on the spray bottle to show that it had passed quality inspection," Guangzhou Daily has quoted her as saying.

Li, too, says that the part of the glare flashlight that stretches out like a stick has become a bit loose in only two weeks and no longer fits into her handbag.

In addition to the concerns over the poor quality of the devices, people are also discussing whether it's appropriate to carry products like stun guns for protection.

But, Wang Dawei, a professor at the Chinese People's Public Security University, says: "It's not safe for young women to use tools such as pepper spray and stun gun."

Wang, who has been working closely with the media to teach women self-protection skills, emphasizes: "The recommended way for protection is to use screaming alarms, which can beep for 20 minutes and thus deter criminals by attracting public attention."

He and his team have organized many forums through television and other channels in Beijing to advice women, senior citizens and children on self-protection.

Self-defense skills

Some women are even learning self-defense skills to guard against potential assailants.

"Many of my students and friends have asked me to teach them self-defense moves to tackle attackers," says Zhang Huijuan, a yoga tutor in Beijing who graduated from a police school in Wuhan, Hubei province.

Zhang, 26, learned several martial arts, including boxing, during her school days.

After the recent criminal attacks on young women, many of her yoga students have been pressing her to teach them some basic but effective moves to ward off sexual predators.

"The moves may not altogether deter hardened criminals but they can buy some time for a potential victim to run or shout for help," she says, recalling her experience of three years ago when a psycho stopped her in a quiet street corner in her hometown of Erdos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, to show his private parts. Using strong defense moves, she deterred him and succeeded in running away to safety.

Bai Chaogang, deputy manager of a company operating a chain of gyms in Shijiazhuang, however, says there is still no clear growth in the number of young women learning free combat or taekwondo the professional way in his gyms.

And he believes that "for self-protection, young women should follow a regular exercise regime, instead of relying only on devices".

Contact the writer at zhengjinran@chinadaily.com.cn

A taekwondo trainer teaches new students how to defend themselves in emergencies at their first class at Yangzhou University in Jiangsu province on Sept 18. Meng Delong / For China Daily

Young women learn defense moves at a gym club in Jinan, Shandong province, on Sept 14. Chen Ning / For China Daily

A consumer checks self-defence products online. Glare flashlights are among the most popular products.  Wang Jing / China Daily

A border defense officer demonstrates moves against sexual predators on a bus in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, in July. Cai Kuanyuan / For China Daily

(China Daily 10/07/2014 page7)