A fierce debate across the country about safety and violence against women has begun in the wake of 22-year-old Eurydice Dixon’s alleged rape and murder in a park less than a kilometer from her home.
A Victorian MP has filed a motion to allow women to carry pepper spray in an effort to strengthen self defence in light of women ‘afraid to walk the streets at night’.
Jeffrey Bourman said he wanted to ensure that the government ‘allows all reasonable and practical methods of self defence’ including the option of ‘non lethal methods … such as pepper spray and stun guns.’
In the wake of Eurydice Dixon’s (pictured) rape and murder in a park less than a kilometer from her home, a fierce debate across the country has ensued about safety and violence against women
‘We need to give everyone the option to defend themselves against a stronger and probably more experienced attacker,’ Mr Bourman wrote on his public Facebook page earlier in the week.
Pepper spray, also known as oleoresin capsicum spray, is classified under Australian law as a prohibited weapon. It’s possession or use without a permit is illegal.
Permits are rarely issued for recreational or personal security purposes.
This excludes the state of Western Australia where pepper spray is considered a controlled weapon but can be carried if a person has ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe they may need to use it in ‘lawful defence.’
This means it’s legal to sell and can be purchased over the counter at convenience and army supply stores.
A Victorian MP has filed a motion (pictured) to allow women to carry pepper spray in an effort to strengthen self defence in light of women ‘afraid to walk the streets at night’
Jeffrey Bourman (pictured) said he wanted to ensure that the government ‘allows all reasonable and practical methods of self defence’ including pepper spray and stun guns
A 2003 Supreme Court decision ruled a motel proprietor was able to to carry pepper spray to break up fights between hotel occupants in self-defence.
‘It was plainly intended that women carrying sprays when they go out in the evening, or older and frailer members of the community carrying them in situations where they felt themselves to be in danger, would not be committing an offence under the legislation,’ Justice Christine Wheeler said during the hearing.
‘It is not necessary that there be an imminent threat, before such a spray can be possessed or carried.
‘It is enough that a person has reasonable grounds to believe that circumstances in which it may be necessary to use the spray for that purpose may arise,’ Ms Wheeler said.
Lisa Neville, Victoria Minister for Police, (pictured) spoke of expanding CCTV across Melbourne CBD in the wake of Eurydice Dixon’s alleged rape and murder
However some of Mr Bourman’s supporters were less impressed.
‘Sounds like the start of a slippery slope … Don’t start something of which you have no idea where it will finish,’ one person wrote.
‘Get tough on these offenders. Make them think twice before they commit crimes. Putting more weapons on the streets is not the answer. Fix the issues, don’t band-aid them.’
In 2014 a pregnant Perth woman was fined $500 for carrying pepper spray in 2014 that she said a male friend had bought her for self protection.
Samantha Andrew said she carried the pepper spray on her 4am walk to work from Victoria Park to the Hyatt in the Perth CBD.
‘I would rather be charged with carrying pepper spray than end up dead in a ditch,’ she told Perth Now at the time.
Jeff Bourman said he would file the motion to allow people to carry pepper spray for self-defence in the Victorian Legislative Council this week.
In NSW, the maximum penalty for possession or use of a prohibited weapon is 14 years imprisonment under Section 7 of the Weapons Prohibition Act 1998.