I understand firsthand the urgent need to provide women with the means to effectively protect themselves. Alarmingly, statistics from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence show that 1 in 4 women have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. It is clear that providing additional safety measures such as legalizing personal protection devices (like pepper spray, personal alarms, and small handheld defensive tools) is a critical step towards ensuring the safety of women. It's distressing to consider the likelihood of one's life being upturned by violence. Allowing women to carry personal protection devices is not a complete, comprehensive solution to the complex issue of domestic violence – but it is one step that can be taken to provide a measure of security, giving women a means to potentially deter an attacker and secure the precious minutes needed to get help. We demand this change as an immediate means to empower women and give them some control in situations where their safety is at stake. Please sign this petition and help us fight for the legal right of women to carry personal protection devices.