Mia Smith, Staff Writer | 

In Alberta, women are bound to the same laws as men. Which in the case of self-defence, are virtually non-existent.

Christine Sawatsky, a 19-year officer of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) explains that citizens are also confined to the same protocols and regulations that the police are. These regulations state that people are allowed to use as much force as necessary to defend themselves or interrupt an attack on someone else.

However, if a female does have a weapon on her—such as pepper spray—it is classified as illegal. If the initial spray was self-defence, the defender would most likely be fine if they could explain and justify the use. But that does not promise that the victim would not be charged.

“You just have to be able to justify, and even then the courts may end up looking at it differently, or the investigator might look at it differently, it is very situationally dependent,” explains Sawatsky.

There are no legal protections that exist for women who are trying to protect themselves. If they use a weapon, they run the risk of being charged. Sawatsky explains that in most cases, victims are attacked by someone they know. It is rare for the EPS to see a random attack.

In a study done by the Alberta Women’s Shelter in 2023, statistics show that there are a range of indicators that are pointing towards women’s domestic violence trends being on the rise. The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters hit a 10-year high with a staggering 59,000 calls answered by the domestic abuse hotline.

Sawatsky believes it is unfair for the typical woman, who does not interact with people who make her feel unsafe, to be unable to defend herself because random attacks do happen. However, she does see a lot of women who are carrying self-defence weapons that are in fearful situations. Not that it is their fault, but the women are then using these weapons in an unjustifiable manner.

How do we defend ourselves?

Lorna Selig, the owner of Safe4Life, truly believes that everything we need to protect ourselves we already have on our person. The program, Safe4Life, is based around the idea of community education and believes the best way to protect oneself is to never get into the situation in the first place.

“Our intention is about awareness, avoidance, and preparedness so that you never need to get in the fight,” explains Selig.

The program is geared not only towards women but more based on age groups. Safe4Life offers a variety of classes with flexible pricing tailored to each client’s needs. They come directly to your location—whether it’s an office, warehouse, or another setting—and provide a range of training sessions designed to enhance basic intuition and practical skills.

Resources like Safe4Life and information from law enforcement can help women defend themselves without the fear of arrest. Photo courtesy of Lorna Selig and Safe4Life

Although the program teaches basic self-defence techniques, it insists that the best course of action is to escape the situation rather than rely on defensive measures.

“The skill required to carry weapons in a way that would be useful is really not something that we believe can be taught in a condensed period of time,” says Selig.

Trust your instincts

At the end of the day, it is up to you as individuals to make the change. Self-defence needs to be a part of a bigger conversation within societal regulations.

“We are limited by the law to what we are allowed to carry and do, which is unfortunate. I wish there was more,” says Sawatsky.

As citizens, there is the known responsibility to notice our surroundings and avoid certain situations.

“When you see something, say something,” emphasizes Selig.

Mia Smith is a Staff Writer for The Reflector 2024-2025