A police force has defended a "ludicrous" decision to give domestic abuse victims blunt knives to replace sharp implements in their kitchens.
Nottinghamshire Police hopes the scheme will reduce the number of people being seriously injured by their partners.
Huh.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see that British police are serious about trying to help people being brutalized by their partners. And I understand that I'm very American, with all the biases that come with that. I hope this works out well for everyone involved. But I confess this would not be my first approach.
Re: British government now issuing blunt knives...
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:19 pm
by Admiral X
Re: British government now issuing blunt knives...
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:33 pm
by Darth Wedgius
A couple points:
My understanding is that blunt knives will lead to more injuries from cutting up food. You need to use more force with a blunt knife, and that lends itself to less control.
A woman can use a sharp knife against a man pretty much as well as a man can use a sharp knife against a woman. I think that's less true of a blunt knife, so I think this makes the physical power difference greater. Of course a woman can have other means to defend herself, and if she has pepper spray (if the UK allows that) then this may well be a moot point.
Re: British government now issuing blunt knives...
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:43 pm
by Mecha82
UK law makers tend to go extremes when it comes to topic of weapons and what can and what can't be used as one or self defense in that matter so this doesn't really surprise me. I guess that is Anglo-Saxon trait since Americans tend to go other extreme.
Re: British government now issuing blunt knives...
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:12 pm
by clearspira
Darth Wedgius wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:33 pm
A couple points:
My understanding is that blunt knives will lead to more injuries from cutting up food. You need to use more force with a blunt knife, and that lends itself to less control.
A woman can use a sharp knife against a man pretty much as well as a man can use a sharp knife against a woman. I think that's less true of a blunt knife, so I think this makes the physical power difference greater. Of course a woman can have other means to defend herself, and if she has pepper spray (if the UK allows that) then this may well be a moot point.
Pepper spray is classed as a firearm. So no, illegal.
I think I should try and explain British self defence law to anyone not from here: the law allows for REASONABLE force in the process of allowing you to ESCAPE.
I capitalised those words for a reason. If he only has fists and is of equal size to you, you are not allowed to use a weapon. If he is twice the size of you or is carrying a weapon of his own, reaching for a rock and hitting him JUST ENOUGH that you can run would be allowed.
Attacking someone when they are running away is never permitted because... he is running away. There is nothing stopping you going in the other direction.
Re: British government now issuing blunt knives...
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:14 pm
by clearspira
Admiral X wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:19 pm
61290981_2195658067431004_6721738429442293760_n.jpg
He's not wrong though.
Re: British government now issuing blunt knives...
Darth Wedgius wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:33 pm
A couple points:
My understanding is that blunt knives will lead to more injuries from cutting up food. You need to use more force with a blunt knife, and that lends itself to less control.
A woman can use a sharp knife against a man pretty much as well as a man can use a sharp knife against a woman. I think that's less true of a blunt knife, so I think this makes the physical power difference greater. Of course a woman can have other means to defend herself, and if she has pepper spray (if the UK allows that) then this may well be a moot point.
Pepper spray is classed as a firearm. So no, illegal.
I think I should try and explain British self defence law to anyone not from here: the law allows for REASONABLE force in the process of allowing you to ESCAPE.
I capitalised those words for a reason. If he only has fists and is of equal size to you, you are not allowed to use a weapon. If he is twice the size of you or is carrying a weapon of his own, reaching for a rock and hitting him JUST ENOUGH that you can run would be allowed.
Attacking someone when they are running away is never permitted because... he is running away. There is nothing stopping you going in the other direction.
So, no "stand your ground" laws or "castle doctrine" in force in Great Britain any time soon.
Then that sounds like they're taking away weapons that would allow a woman a better chance of self-defense against a man. A man generally doesn't need a weapon against a woman, a woman generally does need one against a man.
It might still save lives on the grounds of it's a lot easier to kill someone quickly with a sharp knife than bare hands, and impulse murders might decline. So I can't say solidly that it's a bad idea. It has a down side I'm uncomfortable with, but sometimes that happens even with good ideas.
Re: British government now issuing blunt knives...
Admiral X wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:19 pm
61290981_2195658067431004_6721738429442293760_n.jpg
He's not wrong though.
Actually he is. A butter-knife generally has no stabbing-tip and no cutting-tip either. It is already blunt in that regard. A proper bayonett is easily capable of penetrating the skin, by comparison, even without any sharpening. Obviously, using enough force will drive the butter-knife through skin and into the heart regardless, but so does a spoon...
Re: British government now issuing blunt knives...
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 4:52 am
by Admiral X
clearspira wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:12 pm
Pepper spray is classed as a firearm. So no, illegal.
I think I should try and explain British self defence law to anyone not from here: the law allows for REASONABLE force in the process of allowing you to ESCAPE.
I capitalised those words for a reason. If he only has fists and is of equal size to you, you are not allowed to use a weapon. If he is twice the size of you or is carrying a weapon of his own, reaching for a rock and hitting him JUST ENOUGH that you can run would be allowed.
Attacking someone when they are running away is never permitted because... he is running away. There is nothing stopping you going in the other direction.
Admiral X wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:19 pm
61290981_2195658067431004_6721738429442293760_n.jpg
He's not wrong though.
Actually he is. A butter-knife generally has no stabbing-tip and no cutting-tip either. It is already blunt in that regard. A proper bayonett is easily capable of penetrating the skin, by comparison, even without any sharpening. Obviously, using enough force will drive the butter-knife through skin and into the heart regardless, but so does a spoon...
clearspira wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:12 pm
Pepper spray is classed as a firearm. So no, illegal.
I think I should try and explain British self defence law to anyone not from here: the law allows for REASONABLE force in the process of allowing you to ESCAPE.
I capitalised those words for a reason. If he only has fists and is of equal size to you, you are not allowed to use a weapon. If he is twice the size of you or is carrying a weapon of his own, reaching for a rock and hitting him JUST ENOUGH that you can run would be allowed.
Attacking someone when they are running away is never permitted because... he is running away. There is nothing stopping you going in the other direction.
Maybe, but at least our schools aren't routinely being shot up.
So, no "stand your ground" laws or "castle doctrine" in force in Great Britain any time soon.
