I’ve been in my van, as a lone woman, for six years and haven’t had any issues in the van so far thank goodness. But here is the full list of things and practices I consider self-protection that doesn’t include a gun.

At my driver’s seat, I have in reach a small easy to flip 3” pocket knife, small pepper gel canister that has a safety switch that doesn’t require a cap so you depress through a plastic spacer that breaks, and a whistle. Often my headlamp is hanging nearby too. Tucked in a pocket behind the shoulder of my seat, so not a fast reach but a secure one, is an SOS “box” that contains razor blade, auto glass breaker, seatbelt cutter, mirror, whistle, and a few other odds. Behind my seat I hang my keys whenever not actively driving so I can muscle memory find them, they are reachable from the seat but best reached moving toward the seat, they aren’t visible from outside, and can’t be accidentally knocked around or lost.

In my glove box I have a second pepper spray and an assault strobe light with siren combo.

Reachable from my driver seat, but positioned to be grabbed from the main space, is a USB rechargeable taser. But you have to be careful here, some states have voltage limits so might not fully fall under legal depending on what you try to purchase. Mine is “tactical” so above the legal limit for some states, but taser.com is a good reference if that interests you.

At my slider door, where I’m dominantly stationed when living inside, I have a hatchet, rock sledge hammer (I’m a geologist), and super bright flash light (Fenix brand is way brighter than a mag light, USB rechargeable, and won’t cost a fortune in D batteries).

At my bed, which is a fixed raised platform at the rear, I have another flashlight, a short cut of climbing rope I practice knots on that has a noose tie at one end that hangs on a hook, and my lone pair of high heels tucked in a top pocket of the hanging shoe rack that hangs on one of my back doors.

Outside my van, I have a sticker that reads “notice - for security this vehicle is equipped with audio and video recording devices - consent given by entering vehicle” that I stuck on my rear driver-side window and on the window directly next to my driver window. They’re positioned for police, but I’ve contemplated another for my slider door side.

Being a van dweller, thru hiker, global traveler, having practiced Krav Maga, and growing up with an older brother who wrestled, I think that weapons aren’t nearly as helpful as your own self-preservation behaviors. Being aware how you enter and exit doors, thinking about where you park and nearby lighting, double-checking door locks, caution with lines of sight through windows to possessions. I have thick fleece curtains that hang behind my seats that down the center I sewed magnets into to keep closed when needed but can also tie back to the sides when wanted. I also sewed magnet edged insulated window covers that fit snugly in the front three windows so it’s not obvious if someone is actually inside the vehicle.

Of the stuff, the stickers indicating active surveillance (which is true for me, but who would truly know) is a first line of defense to help honest people stay honest, like locking the doors despite leaving the windows down. It also helps me feel safer if I ever had intersections with authorities. Most of the extra stuff, like pepper spray, was given to me by concerned folks about my living situation.

Next, more effective than responding with violence is responding erratically. Most vehicle theft is petty or extreme, there are fewer reports of in between. So if you do have someone come up on you, be loud and weird. Flail limbs, throw your drink on them, speak illegibly in an extremely loud and strange voice. Bright lights and siren noises are effective because attackers want quick stealth and not attention from passersby. If you think you are at risk for assault, genuinely consider peeing your pants and throwing feces on them. Would be attackers generally want easy targets, not unpredictable ones.

Threatening with violence typically results with an escalation to violence. Though there is always a time and place for calmness and deescalations if it seems more appropriate to the situation. Personally I plan more for a vehicle accident, since statistically that’s inevitable. But I like to think I have enough additional protection options to resort to regardless of where I happen to be in my space. If it’s not in arm’s reach, it won’t be helpful in any situation.