A woman who was held up and robbed twice this year of cash and jewellery is contemplating carrying a knife to protect herself.

She says she is scared to walk with a knife because she has seen the police taking away knives from people on the street.

Robbed twice

"On two occasions this year, I was held up and robbed of money and jewellery," she explains.

"If I had a weapon, like a knife or an ice-pick, I could have defended myself . The first time I was robbed, a young boy walked up to me, pulled a knife and demanded the gold chain I was wearing. I gave it to him willingly because I did not have any weapon to defend myself.

"On the second occasion, I was robbed of $5,000, which I had in my pocket. I was on my way from the bank and was walking downtown when a young boy pointed a knife at me and ordered me to hand over the money.

"I was telling my sister, who lives in England, about the incidents and she suggested that I should get a bottle of pepper spray to defend myself from such attacks.

"My sister has promised to send me the pepper spray, but I am not sure whether it is legal for me to have such a substance in my possession," the woman said.

The Offensive Weapons (Prohibition) Act sets out the weapons which are deemed to be offensive weapons. The Act states that offensive weapon means any article made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person or which is intended by the person having such article with him to cause such injury.

Knives

Offensive weapons include daggers, swordsticks and certain types of knives. It is an offence to have an offensive weapon in a public place.

The Act clearly states that offensive weapon does not include mace or pepper spray.