Personal security aims to protect people from physical violence, whether from the state or external states, from violent individuals and sub-state actors, from domestic abuse, or from predatory adults. For many people, the greatest source of anxiety is crime, particularly violent crime.

Gender plays an important role in human security since often times gender inequality gives rise to skewed distribution of resources or neglect in areas vital to individual security. Female suseptibility to domestic violence provides one example.

Pepper spray (also known as OC spray (from "Oleoresin Capsicum"), OC gas, capsicum spray, or oleoresin capsicum) is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears.

Stun gun, or electroshock weapon technology uses a temporary high-voltage (50,000-volt) low-current electrical discharge to override the body's superficial muscle-triggering mechanisms. The recipient is immobilized via two metal probes (darts) connected via metal wires from the electroshock gun usually penetrating the human skin, and superficial muscle. The recipient that is 'connected' to an electroshock gun feels great pain and can be momentarily paralyzed (only so long as there is an electrical current being applied) because his muscles are receiving electrical 'shock'. The (relatively) low electric current must be pushed by (relatively) high voltage to overcome the electrical resistance of the human body. The resultant 'shock' is caused by muscles twitching uncontrollably, appearing as muscle spasms. However, because the amount of current is relatively low, there is considered to be a 'margin' of safety by a number of medical experts. Experts generally agree that this margin is highly dependent on the overall health of the person subjected to the shock.

These forms of personal safety products are illegal or subject to legal restrictions on their availability and use in many jurisdictions. Check your local and State regulations to find out whether pepper sprays and/or stun guns are legal in your area.