Hey everyone, I’m new here and glad to be part of this.

I’m a senior at UGA. Laken Riley was murdered on our campus my freshman year, and it changed how I think about safety for the women in my life. My younger sister turns 18 in April and starts college in the fall (school still TBD). I don’t want her going in afraid. I want her prepared, so she doesn’t have to be afraid.

I’m training through WPS myself, working toward being a warrior in a garden, and I want to pass on what I can. Her safety comes first.

Where she’s starting

18 in April, no training at all
College TBD, so I don’t know the campus policies or state laws yet
Under 21, so a firearm isn’t on the table for now

The real challenge
I’m convinced the best gear is whatever she actually carries every single day. I know that if something is bulky, ugly, awkward, or clashes with what she’s wearing, it ends up in a drawer. So I’m trying to build a kit that fits her life and her style, and then make carrying it a habit until she never leaves home without it, the same way she never forgets her phone or keys.

My layered approach

Awareness and avoidance. The best fight is the one you never get into.
Pepper spray. First physical layer. Works at a distance and buys time to escape.
Taser/stun device. For when someone has closed the distance.
Knife. Last resort, for life or death at contact distance.

Please pressure-test this. I’d rather hear now that something’s wrong with it than find out later.

Gear questions

Pepper spray. Which brands and formulas do you trust (gel, stream, or fog)? Any good options that are discreet or that she’d actually like the look of, like keychain carriers or holsters that don’t scream “tactical”?
Taser vs. stun gun. Is a real Taser (Pulse/Bolt) worth it over a contact stun gun for someone with no training?
Knife. For a beginner, does a knife help or hurt? If it’s worth carrying, what style suits a smaller person? Or should that layer wait until she has training?
Carry. How do you set up a kit that works whether she’s carrying a purse or a backpack, or wearing workout clothes or a dress? Where should each tool ride so she can get to it under stress?
Making it habit. For those of you who’ve done this with a sister, daughter, or wife: what got them to actually carry every day?
Extras. Personal alarms, flashlights, door wedges, location sharing, anything else that’s genuinely useful?

Training questions

I have about 9 months before she leaves. What should we focus on first?
Are there women-focused courses or disciplines you’d recommend (BJJ, Krav Maga, a specific program)? Anything good near Atlanta Georgia?
How do you get someone with no tactical interest to take this seriously without making them paranoid?
Any practical campus habits for running alone, walking at night, parties, rideshares, and dorm security?

Thanks for any wisdom. I want to get this right for her. God bless.