Pepper spray and mace need to be aimed directly at the aggressor's eyes/nose for the greatest effect, and even then, some people can still be so pumped up on adrenaline that they keep moving forward almost unhindered.
Melee weapons like collapsible batons depend on the strength of the wielder to be most effective, and women are statistically weaker than men on average.
A gun is the most equal form of self-defense: it won't stop everyone, but it can let a small woman defeat a mountain-sized man in a fight, and it incentivizes criminals to find other targets or just give up their criminal intentions.
A tazer can be stopped by thick clothing/skin.
Pepper spray and mace need to be aimed directly at the aggressor's eyes/nose for the greatest effect, and even then, some people can still be so pumped up on adrenaline that they keep moving forward almost unhindered.
Melee weapons like collapsible batons depend on the strength of the wielder to be most effective, and women are statistically weaker than men on average.
A gun is the most equal form of self-defense: it won't stop everyone, but it can let a small woman defeat a mountain-sized man in a fight, and it incentivizes criminals to find other targets or just give up their criminal intentions.