“The fact that women have to carry this around shows how unsafe the world around us is. This self defence kit could potentially save countless lives of women.”
How often do we hear cases of women being abused well within their safety? Yet, what actions are taken? For a clearer picture, our writer asked several women how their safety is being threatened on a daily basis. Feeling sick of this situation, this Malaysian girl decided to take the matter into her own hands.
Suvikha Kumar and Sucndra Kumar first started their business of Desi Rose Cosmetics (@desirosecosmetics) to provide pigmented lip glosses that are catered specifically to brown skin women and men due to the lack of representation and diversity in the beauty industry in Malaysia. However, two months ago, Suvikha decided to branch out into selling self-defence kits for women.
Desi rose cosmetic’s self defence kit also comes with their custom keychain to match the aesthetic.
“When I go on my daily jogs,I have been in situations where I was harassed and catcalled by random men. I tried to look for other self defense kits online but they were expensive and priced around RM90-100.”
Thus, Suvikha decided to DIY her own self-defence kit for herself and her friends, Initially, she had no intention of selling the kit but her TikTok video (@suvixxx) went viral and many women and girls started messaging her to purchase the kit. She even received messages from school girls who said they felt unsafe walking back home from school with the fear of getting harassed or catcalled.
The Desi Rose Cosmetics team then came up with an affordable and student-friendly defence kit for just RM43! The items in her kit include:
1. Pepper spray
Their pepper spray is an OC (oleoresin capsicum) Spray which is legal in Malaysia for self-defence purposes. The pepper spray is obtained from a certified and reputable manufacturer. When you spray it on your attacker, it causes them to close their eyes immediately and experience breathing difficulties for 30 to 40 minutes which will give you enough time to escape. The pepper sprays can also be purchased separately for RM16.
2. Rape siren
This siren is one of the most important tools in the kit. When you are faced with a dangerous situation, you might feel so panicked at the moment that you find yourself speechless and unable to scream for help. When this happens all that you need to do is pull the trigger in the alarm and the sound of the loud siren will alert people to help you out.
3. Seatbelt Cutter and Mini Window Breaker
The seat belt cutter helps to cut the seatbelts in an emergency situation such as car accidents and kidnapping cases. There is also a window breaker tool in the device. When you press it on the lower part of a car window, a small blade will appear and you can use it to escape. It’s worth noting that the window breaker function must be used with full force. The window breaker can also be used as a self-defence tool if someone comes up and attacks you.
Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, Sucndra said they have been receiving positive feedback from their clients who are grateful that the kits are available for such affordable prices.
“Personally, every women should carry this kit around to protect themselves as anything can happen nowadays!”
A quick peek at their Instagram showed that the self-defence kits are currently sold out but they reassured us that they will be restocking very soon. Sucndra also told us that there will be a discount on the kit in the near future, with every purchase of their pigmented blush collection. You can also check out their products on Desi Rose Cosmetic’s Shopee page here.
Kudos to the team for going above and beyond for the safety of women everywhere. Let us know what you think about their efforts!
Also read: Private Photos Leaked Without Consent & No One Can Help? Here’s What You Can Do
