Personal alarms are extremely useful and underrated as they are not very expensive but prove extremely successful in the deterrence of personal harm by an attacker.
There are many different forms of Personal Security Systems, from simple rape alarms to GPS devices and even some mobile phones accessories can be bought.
Personal Alarms
Personal Alarms can be found in many different shapes and sizes and depending on the quality of the alarm they can range in price too from being free (usually councils give out free rape alarms) to £20-£30.
In it's most basic form, Personal Alarms can be fitted to a set of keys and consists of a small box with a pull string. If you are attacked you simply have to pull the string on your Personal Alarms and the box will emit a very high-pitched, loud noise which is likely to alert anyone in the vicinity to your problem as well as acting as a good deterrent from the attacker, who will most likely run away on hearing the noise.
Other Personal Alarms, or General Attack Alarms, come in the form of a 'claxon'. These Personal Alarms are air pressured containers that emit a very loud, piercing noise when used and if set off in the face of an attacker can cause temporary deafness. The idea of these Personal Alarms is to make the attacker stop what they are doing immediately and run away. However, if used correctly the can also render an assailant incapacitated, which could lead to a potential arrest.
Pepper Spray
Pepper spray is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness). Pepper Spray can be bought from Specialist Security Shops and used to deter, not only people, but animal attacks too.
In very rare cases, through allergies most often, pepper spray can actually cause death to the assailant so although they are effective they are not always the best choice of deterrent.
GPS Devices
Personal GPS Devices (as found on the Alarm Receiving Centres page) are small devices that can be downloaded as mobile phone software, but usually contain two buttons (one red and one green) that if pressed together will send a signal to an Alarm Receiving Centre (Or ARC).
At this ARC someone will have picked up the signal from your GPS Devices on a computer and can track your exact location. They will then call the police and alert them to the situation. Because GPS Devices usually have a built in microphone and speaker the operator can keep details of the situation as they go and can talk to you if it is safe to do so. This helps them keep the police up to date on the present situation.