Bushjumpers "Alert!" Thread in this same forum sounds eerily similar, although he is providing second-hand knowledge compared to Trinity's first-hand experience.
A gun is good, as long as you have very good training, and hit the range once a week. Dry-fire with snap caps every night on the couch or in bed. Good trigger muscle memory will overcome the adrenaline rush when you actually encounter a "fear for my life" situation.
A good trained dog might be a possible solution also. You would still want to be trained with the dog, but his senses and awareness of your environment is much, much greater than human senses. The dog's response will also be quicker while you are sleeping.
Originally Posted by TexomaCowboy
OP, Sorry to hear this! That’s fucked up!
To add: if you do get a firearm, invest in some training. Spend a few months to get comfortable with it. Don’t skimp on training. A firearm is no good unless you train for self defense and have the confidence to use it in those situations.
Get your LTC (License to Carry) and don’t forget to buy some prepaid legal protection (like Texas Law Shield). Even if you are right (and you will be in self defense situation) in a firearm “incident”, you will still spend tens of thousands in legally defending yourself. For a couple of hundred dollars a year, you get prepaid legal coverage for firearm related situations, and a 24x7 attorney on call if an “incident “ occurs; and that’s good to have.
Short-term, don’t hesitate to let his “handle” be known. Take precautions but don’t let him dictate how you live your life.