Abstract: A hand-held personal defense apparatus for protecting a user against an attacker includes a hollow housing defining an elongate handgrip. An aerosol canister of a defense fluid, such as tear gas, MACE.RTM. or (cayenne) pepper gas, and a battery-powered siren are positioned within the housing. The apparatus further includes a strike bar connected to the housing and extending forwardly in spaced relation from the handgrip so that the hand of the user may surroundingly grip the handgrip with the strike bar exposed on the outside of the hand. The strike bar serves as a visible deterrent to an attacker may be used as a defensive weapon against the attacker. The apparatus further includes a movable actuator button for selectively activating the alarm or the alarm and the canister of defense fluid.