SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — With the increasing number of violent crimes against women, including the recent stalking murder case at Sindang Station in Seoul, more women are purchasing personal defense equipment.
Online shopping mall Auction reported a 16-percent increase in sales of self-defense gear since last month. Looking at women customers only, sales of self-defense gear this month are up 130 percent from last month.
Gmarket also reported a 60-percent increase in sales of self-defense gear since last month with a 35 percent increase in purchases made by women.
Pepper spray sales were up 71 percent at 11Street, while sales of self-defense alarms (33 percent) and other self-defense gear (65 percent) also rose significantly in the two weeks since the Sindang Station murder.
“Women are starting to think that everyday life and relationships aren’t safe anymore. They are coming up with their own ways to protect themselves thinking the system cannot protect them anymore,” said Kim Jeong-hye, a researcher at the Korean Women’s Development Institute.
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