Event planner Lisa Harden knows how to throw a powerful party. But she has taken that notion to its extreme since becoming a distributor for Taser International, the manufacturer of a well- known electroshock control weapon.
"I thought since I'm a party planner, I might as well plan an event around it," she said.

The parties are a far cry from Tupperware or Arbonne social marketing parties. Attendees learn about the Taser in a relaxed, comforting atmosphere, but there is also a police officer at each event to help explain and demonstrate how the weapon works.

One police officer who speaks at the parties doesn't carry one for her job, but she has a personal Taser.

"She's always telling women, 'Carry a Taser. Don't get a gun,'" said Harden. "At the parties when you practice with a Taser, you get to see how it works and people see it's pretty powerful."

Four months ago, Harden started hosting Taser parties and has sold several dozen.

Harden sells the C2 model. At seven ounces, the Taser C2 is lightweight and small enough to be carried in a purse or pocket. About the size as a small handgun, it comes in colors such as pink and blue.

The retail price is $349.

In Harden's line of work, she is often out late at night. Though she said she did not want to carry a gun, Harden knew she needed protection. When a friend suggested the pink-covered Taser, she gave it a try.

Since then, Harden has had close calls when her little pink Taser did its job, including an incident in a Wal-Mart parking lot where a man approached her aggressively. She threatened to shoot him with the Taser until he left her alone.

"I would have never been so confident if I hadn't listened at all those parties," she said. "It helps you think about things you don't normally think about."

Taser devices are not considered firearms by the U.S. government and can be legally carried in 43 states.

At least 12,500 police agencies in more than 40 countries use Tasers.

To operate a Taser, the user slides a safety back, presses the trigger button and the device automatically deploys. There is also an optional laser to aid in aiming.

Hardin said there is no recoil or risk of chemical blowback.

Tasers are not designed to be lethal, but do generate a lot of pain through what Taser International calls "neuromuscular incapacitation."

They have a shooting range of about 15 feet, and the person being shot is typically down for about 30 seconds, said Harden.

"While the attacker is flopping around like a fish, it gives the person a chance to get away and call the police," she said. "It's really geared to help women; it's a great product."

Harden said carrying a Taser empowers women.

"When you are by yourself, you sort of feel like a sitting duck," she said. "People feel vulnerable for a lot of reasons and this helps bring comfort as a way to get away."