Pepper spray being rinsed out of a person’s eyes and noses. Photo via Wikipedia
Conservative Party leadership candidate and outspoken politician Kellie Leitch is reportedly planning to endorse the legalization of mace/pepper spray in Canada, as part of a move for women to help defend themselves against violence.
According to a statement posted by her campaign Thursday morning, Leitch wants to only allow for the purchase and use of non-lethal mace sprays “for self-defense purposes,” adding that it is just “one way” in helping women defend themselves against violent attacks.
“My thoughts around this issue are primarily with Canadian women, far too many of whom find themselves the victims of physical and sexual violence,” the statement reads. “Women should not be forced by the law to be victims of violence when there exist non-lethal means by which they can protect themselves.”
Currently, non-lethal sprays like mace or tear gas operate in a legal grey zone. Sprays that are designed to “incapacitate” or harm a human being are defined as prohibited weapons under the Criminal Code of Canada. You can still, however, go out and purchase pepper spray or bear mace fairly easily, and almost nobody is prosecuted for using it in legitimate defense situations.
A Quebec store clerk fought back with pepper spray in 2012.
For example, in 2012, a Gatineau store clerk used pepper spray to fend off robbers—the police did nothing to the clerk because it was considered a justified situation of self-defense.
Alternately, police have warned against carrying pepper spray or mace at all, as it might be considered a weapon—such as the case of two 17-year-olds who reportedly tried to rob a man on an Ottawa bus. When the man refused to hand over his possessions, they sprayed him in the face with mace and mugged him. The two were later arrested by police and charged with both assault with a weapon and carrying a concealed weapon.
Some commenters—both on Twitter and Facebook—argued Leitch’s proposition could be a slippery slope to a more relaxed grip on weapons of other kinds in Canada.
“Mace and pepper spray today. [Handguns] tomorrow? Not in my Canada!” Kevin Hillock said on Facebook. Others on Leitch’s social media pages mostly supported the idea, or were dumbfounded to find out that mace and pepper spray were illegal in the first place.
Anuradha Dugal, Director of Violence Prevention Programs at the Canadian Women’s Foundation, told VICE via email that Leitch’s approach is “problematic” for a few reasons, and not just the ones you might expect.
“[Leitch’s proposal] suggests that perpetrators are waiting around every street corner, taking the stranger danger approach, when in fact we know most violence against women is usually perpetrated by someone close to the victims. It’s often romantic partners, family, friends, or acquaintances, and it often happens in homes, workplaces, and other social spaces,” Dugal says.
Dugal also notes that the decision to start arming women puts the “onus on women to protect themselves against attacks,” rather than preventing/discouraging perpetrators in the first place. She also advises that being able to successfully use mace as a defense tool requires planning, and adds that it can oftentimes be used to hurt victims, not protect them.
“Violence against women is deliberate—it is a decision on the part of the perpetrator to use violence against another person, and they are responsible for their actions,” Dugal told VICE.
“Violence prevention efforts that challenge sexist attitudes and behaviours that normalize violence against women are crucial…Also, the enforcement of laws and policies that hold perpetrators accountable for their decision to use violence is far more effective in addressing the issue.”
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