What options do "minors" have for self defense?

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Eric M

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Note: I'm not sure if this is the right section to ask this in but I couldn't think of anywhere else to put this.

I was in close proximity to someone being threatened the other day while I was walking home from school. It made me wonder what I could possibly do in a situation like that. I have looked around and can't see many options for minors in most places. So my question is, are there any options for those under 18?
 
1) Situational awareness is key for a minor as it is for anyone. Being alert, being smart about where, when, what, and with whom. (Of course, that is not a strong suit for teenagers, now is it? :scrutiny:) These things can be trained and practiced. If the young person won't take this part seriously, training then to handle physical weapons isn't likely to go a whole lot better. Seeing things a long way off and predicting where trouble will find you is a life skill that can transcend age.

2) After that, martial arts of certain styles can be very beneficial -- as least as they can teach breaking holds, breaking contact, and give the ability to flee from a bad situation if No. 1 breaks down.

3) Weapons are somewhat limited but not entirely. One of the very best non-firearm weapons one can have is a stout impact weapon like a cane or stick. Kids may get hassled LESS than adults for carrying a bat around in public. Owen Sparks posted a couple of weeks ago about an accuracy-training bat he found that is more like a light aluminum short staff than a traditional bat. If the young person had a little instruction, this would be mighty persuasive.

4) Look into local laws about OC spray. I honestly don't know if there are places where it would be legal for a minor to carry that, but I'd have a very tough time not giving my daughter some and a bit of instruction on its use if she was in situations that warranted it.
 
a good pocket knife......are they allowed in schools anymore?....no one ever gave me any greif about mine in HS.

pepper spray?.....

its tough, all these schools enacted "no tolerance" policies.....so anything thats decently effective as a SD tool will most likely get you expelled...



so tool wise...try looking into a large maglite......or something of the effect.
 
Before I got into guns I was very much into self defense. When not in school and I would ride my bike around with friends (being in a group is #1 for young people, even if the fudds think we're trouble makers) I'd have a baseball bat with a hole drilled at each end that I ran paracord through so I could carry it on my back, and we did play pick up games so we never got bothered. I always had a pocket knife on me, but it would never be my first choice to pull a knife when I've got 3 feet of 45 year old hickory on my back.

If you're in school and walking home, carry your keys on a carabiner clip. While your best bet would be to run from a bad situation, if you must stay and fight they can be slipped over your middle finger to work like a brass knuckle and require no real skill other than punching and they inflict a massive amount of damage for such an unassuming item. If it's raining or snowing or cold in general, carry an umbrella. Preferably the non folding variety with a metallic tip. They really hurt and are innocuous.

Other than that, get some bare handed training. I like learning one martial art for striking and the other for grabs, breaks and throws. My preference is Systema and Judo but any combination will do. But remember; if you have an opening to run, take it.
 
To be blunt: NONE!
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I see what you did there... :scrutiny::D

I'm unsure on the legalities of it but I carry a knife since I was 16. I did carry it at school but in my pocket versus clipped on the top. Even so, most of my teachers didn't have a problem with it except those that went strictly by the book but I never ran into a problem with it. That's all I can really say.
 
Minors have the same rights as adults. The only thing different is if a CCW carryng man, age 21+, gets assulted in the Wal-Mart parking lot and fires after sustaing a beating and only fires with his last breath, he is an alive hero.

Minor who does the same, while still alive, may go to jail. If he is 17, he may make a member of the milicia case.
 
Since you are asking about legal options its safe to assume you are not invovlded with types of minors who are a serious threat so i'd say quit worrying about it. The vast majority of teenage fights are when both kids consent to it. Bullies may suck but they are almost never going to do serious physical harm so if you use a weapon you will be far worse off legally than from being bullied. You have no business carrying a weapon. Learning how to fight would be good for numerous reasons though.
 
it starts when the parents teach the child to obay 1st and ask why after...

how to cross a street--to be aware of their enviornment

---------

than there is the jump up and down, scream & shout approach...
 
Awarness
Avoidance
Withdraw/Flee
Training in hand to hand and non-firearms weapons
Withdraw/Flee
Avoidance
Awareness

Your very best bet is to be aware of where you are and where you're going and understand where/what to stay away from.

Avoid people and places that increase your risk of attack. Avoid being alone anywhere. Go in packs and stay away from trouble. It may not be fun or convenient, but ending up permanently brain damaged with your mother changing your diapers the rest of your life is probably less fun.

Don't be afraid to run away when you are the least little bit uncomfortable. When you get the sense that you're getting into trouble is the time to get out of there instead of waiting to be sure you're in trouble. Don't let anyone in your group delay this.

If all else fails and you've been caught unaware and failed to avoid trouble and can't flee from it you're advised to have some skills to help you break free and escape. That can mean hand to hand defensive training in both empty hand and weapons you can carry or pick up. Look for practical fighting arts schools and styles that don't get lost in esoterica.

Since you can't carry a knife in school or chemical sprays you're limited to simple explainable improvised weapons.
 
It may hurt your pride, but evasion is the best option for unarmed self defense. Fights rarely end well physically or legally for either party.

Cell phone. Call the police. I'm sure every kid has a phone now, and if I had had one in high school, I would have used it at least once during or immediately after an assault that happened to me. It's serious business to put your hands on another person these days; try to avoid that.

Other than that, try a martial art that helps you defend and evade and in the most extreme cases break contact and not be kidnapped or anything of that nature.
 
Carry a bat with you. It will look like you are just on the baseball team and they make a great weapon. I play baseball and I am pretty confident that I could easily knock someone out with one swing. or you could hit them in the gut and knock the wind out of them. Also, being aware of your surroundings is very important too.
 
Pepper Spray is legal in some States & locales even for those under 18. Look up the laws. Also, a flashlight with bezels make for a nice weapon. Oh, a hammer with a lanyard is also good, too. I don't think I've ever seen a law against hammers. Really.
 
Good advice in here. But I wasn't talking about schoolyard bullies, mind you. Rather, the typical assailants one should be concerned about.
 
When I was in school I carried a VERY sharp math compass, and a sharp all-metal thick shaft mechanical pencil. The cop at my school even looked at me and OK'd what I had... school supplies! I also avoided the bathrooms and blind stairwells, made sure that I had friends in just about every ethnic/neighborhood/political group, and I also tried to avoid arguments.

During my high school years, I only came close to using my sharp pointy things once, but was able to talk and reason with the people who wanted to hurt me. I was able to convince them to let me go before we reached one of the camera-free "blind spot" areas in the school.

So yeah, basically train for hand-to-hand, be super aware, be fit enough to run like hell, and carry stuff that looks like it isn't a weapon. Also, follow George Washington's advice, "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few." A lot of safety for minors simply depends on how good you are at choosing who to be with and who to avoid.

*And btw, once you get to high school, if you live in a bad area, the "schoolyard bully" may very well try to kidnap/assault/kill you. In fact, the streets are quite often safer than a public high school in a medium to large city.
 
Thus there are juvenile minors (those under 18) and adult minors (ages 18-20).
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The standard antonym of "minor" (when referring to legal status) is not "major"; it is a "adult." Therefore, calling someone an "adult minor" makes no more sense than calling him a "juvenile adult."

Not saying that WA state law doesn't define things as you say; just that the terms used are bizarre and artifical. Like "assault weapon."

Schools have zero tolerance policies for all weapons for students--I wouldn't try carrying a bat between classes! Unlike students, the carrying of knives by non-student adults in school is often bound only by the state rules on public carry of knives.

Minors are in general allowed to carry the same knives as adults (absent a specific state or municipal law) outside of school grounds/school events. It should perhaps be mentioned that knives make awful defensive weapons without training.

In MA, a license is need to possess and carry pepper spray. Minimum age is 15. School is off-limits.
 
Carry a bat with you. It will look like you are just on the baseball team and they make a great weapon. I play baseball and I am pretty confident that I could easily knock someone out with one swing
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Just a (hopefully) redundant reminder. One swing with a baseball bat will not only just knock someone out, but can VERY EASILY kill them. Remember that this is a lethal force option -- just are shooting them with a firearm would be. All the same principles apply. Even if you are young, learn your state's laws of use of force. Understand what meets the standard for an affirmative defense of "self-defense" and what does not.

It sucks to have to play by "adult world" rules, but these are very --dead-- serious issues, not harmless school-yard games.
 
Sorry? No, no...just pointing it out. Anyone who can put the power into a swing that would send a softball or baseball to the fence, could comprehensively crush a human skull. Even a less than perfect hit could cause brain trauma that would lead quickly to death. It's not much of a "less lethal" option.
 
Improvised weapons. Ash tray (not super applicable here lol), fire extinguisher, FEET, roll of coins, math book, lunch tray, fork, etc. That bat would work nicely in a pinch. Heck, so would a baseball or rock. +2 on the drafting tools. A good sturdy pen can go a long long way. Some are even made for that purpose.

Keep in mind those really would not be non lethal... but could save your life in a pinch if it ever came to that. Hopefully it would never come to that, but I do not really know your particular situation and what kind of dirt you have to deal with.

BEST BEST option is to use your head. Thinking and PAYING attention to your surroundings will pay off. Leave the headphones out, watch what is going on around you. Listen and pay attention to the people you see. Strive to avoid threats, but be prepared to defend and escape if you have to.
 
The standard antonym of "minor" (when referring to legal status) is not "major"; it is a "adult." Therefore, calling someone an "adult minor" makes no more sense than calling him a "juvenile adult."
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In the context of federal law and firearms - a minor is a person under the age of 21.

In the context of alcohol possession - a minor is a person under the age of 21.

In the context of gambling - a minor is a person under the age of 21.

Thus the distinction in law - juvenile minors (those minors under age 18) and adult minors (minors aged 18-20).

Schools have zero tolerance policies for all weapons for students...
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In Washington state, students age 14, with parents consent, can possess and carry pepper spray at school. This is why I suggested the OP research the particular laws of his state.
 
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