The one weapon every woman could carry in her handbag that could have stopped Joel Cauchi rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction – but pepper spray is only legal in ONE state

A young Melbourne mother is calling on the federal government to legalize pepper spray across the country in the wake of the Westfield Bondi Junction tragedy.

Jayde Howard believes the self-defense weapon could have played a key role in stopping or at least slowing the frenzied rampage of knife killer Joel Cauchi.

But currently pepper spray is only legal in Western Australia, where sales are now soaring following the mass stabbing.

Ms Howard’s petition to allow women to be legally allowed to carry pepper spray has already attracted more than 6,000 signatures.

“I believe the laws need to change because women deserve to feel safe,” she said sunrise.

She added: “As a mother, I believe the attack on Bondi Junction was a catalyst for this petition and campaign.”

Five women and a male security guard were killed in the brutal attack after Cauchi appeared to deliberately target female shoppers.

His family later admitted that Cauchi was mentally ill and had been tapered off his medication, but that he had a problem with women because he was too socially awkward to find a girlfriend.

Since the Bondi attack, Mrs Howard says she has been nervous about going out with her daughter.

“We deserve to be able to live our daily lives without the fear of being randomly attacked,” she said.

Jeff Rodwell, director of online security company UR Safe, says demand for pepper spray has soared since the Bondi attacks, with orders almost quadrupling.

Mr Rodwell told the ABC‘I’ve had a lot of calls from back east. They think, ‘Oh, it’s legal in Western Australia, why can’t we have it?'” he said.

Ms. Howard is very passionate about women’s safety. “I believe the laws need to change because women deserve to feel safe,” she told Sunrise

Since the Bondi attack, Mrs Howard says she has been nervous about going out with her daughter

Callum Wheately from NSW has also started one petition. The father of three girls wrote: ‘I fear for their safety and the safety of all women in our community.’

David Limbrick, a Libertarian MP from Victoria, believes women should carry pepper spray to feel safe.

“The people who were able to protect themselves and others in Bondi were the people who had the means to do so, while the most vulnerable were targeted,” Mr Limbrick said.

In 2018, Fraser Anning of Katter’s Australian Party called on the federal government to allow the importation and use of pepper spray to “empower women to defend themselves.”

Mr Anning’s private members’ bill was defeated.