When Mindy Lin founded Damsel in Defense in 2011, she did more than just launch a business—she ignited a movement. With a mission to empower women through education, personal safety products, and community, Mindy Lin and her team have helped countless individuals feel more secure and equipped to protect themselves in a world where safety is a growing concern. It is a common topic of discussion these days, about women’s safety when walking alone after dark, or how to avoid being a target for possible attack. The frustration met with these concerns due to lack of awareness of how to best practice self-protection that won’t interfere with one’s daily routine or end in tragedy. Damsel in Defense is here to change that, with a community that has now grown to include over 30,000 women across the United States, providing tools and training to safeguard themselves and their communities. “Personal safety has always been at the forefront of my mind,” Lin explains. “My Dad sent me off to college with a bear-sized pepper spray, and I always wondered why something so important wasn’t more accessible or aesthetically pleasing.” This initial realization sparked the creation of Damsel in Defense, a company committed to providing personal safety tools that are not only effective but also unassuming, stylish, and user-friendly. Lin adds, “It started out in a mom’s group of about fifty women, but instead of ‘tupperware parties’ we were hosting ‘self-defense parties,’ exploring options for the types of devices we would utilize for the brand.” The brand’s products range from a variety of stun devices and pepper sprays to alarms and whistles. Each product is meticulously designed to ensure functionality while being discreet enough to fit in a purse or attach to a keychain. In a variety of cute colors like baby pink or powder blue, from blinged out casings to sleek and subtle in chrome black, Lin has made it fun. She was very careful to pay attention to the creative details of these devices and kits, having once ran a cake business and an interior design business before becoming a full-time mom, her creative eye for detail came in handy. Unique to her desire as a brand appealing to women and teens, Lin knew that if she could make these devices accessible and welcoming by removing the fear factor around it, it just might catch on. “If your peers are buying it, then it’s no longer taboo,” she explains. Making the devices a practical and essential accessory, for any person, and with the holiday season just around the corner these are some great stocking stuffer ideas for your loved ones. Damsel in Defense is not just focused on product development but also on education. “So much about personal protection is about prevention,” Lin emphasizes. “Creating and keeping distance from an attacker is the greatest way to stay safe, and that’s what our products are designed to do.” Damsel in Defense also offers Shield Technology, a revolutionary feature that allows users to preset five emergency contacts. If a product is deployed, the Shield Technology alerts those contacts with the user’s location until help arrives. “We have a large network of women across the country who are regularly providing feedback on what’s happening in their communities and offering suggestions for product evolution. It’s a community-driven effort,” Lin says. What makes the company’s mission so significant is that its impact doesn’t stop at personal safety. Damsel in Defense funds two rescue homes internationally, providing safe havens for young girls rescued from sex trafficking. “To date, over 1,500 girls have been given hope and a future free from exploitation,” Mindy shares. “Our first home in Cambodia was adopted in July of 2015, and our second in an undisclosed country in 2018. My goal is to open our next home in the Philippines, where I witnessed the trafficking of children for the first time.” The company’s success lies not only in its innovative products but in its commitment to making a difference. “Damsel In Defense operates to be a force for good in the world,” Lin states. “We are constantly fighting to change the overwhelming statistics of violence against women, young and old. Our metrics of success are singular—if we can make a difference to just one person, then we’ve done our job.” One customer testimonial highlights this impact: “I just had a returning customer thank me. Last month, he purchased a stun device for his daughter. A week later, she used it when a man tried to attack her. She stunned him, and law enforcement was contacted. The officer was so impressed that she’s looking into our products for her family. I love what we do!” The challenges Lin faces are not insignificant. “One of the biggest hurdles is objections to the products. We often hear, ‘She doesn’t need that; she has me,’ or ‘I don’t need that; I carry a gun.’ A large part of what we do is educating people not only on how to use our products but why they need them,” she explains. “Most people are alone at some point in their day, and not every situation calls for lethal means of defense.” Looking ahead, Lin’s goals for Damsel In Defense include establishing the brand as a household name, further supporting her mission to create open dialogue in family homes about self-protection and safety. “My long-term goal is to open a Damsel House rescue home in every country where our rescue partners are operating. We can only do this through the sale of products that protect individuals here in the US, and those sales all start through conversations.” Damsel In Defense was created in a time before the #MeToo movement, when discussions around personal safety and empowerment were often swept under the rug. Now, the company is part of a larger dialogue around women’s rights and safety. “A lot of good has come from that movement, but there is still so much work to be done in how we have these important conversations,” Lin reflects. With a focus on growth and innovation, Mindy Lin with her Damsel in Defense community are set to continue their mission to equip, empower, and educate. Through resilience and dedication, they are not just selling products; they are changing lives. For product purchases and information visit: https://damselindefense.net/ The post Damsel in Defense: Meet the company making female self-protection more accessible and stylish appeared first on LA Weekly.