Because a hand is worth a thousand words, but a PURSE... NOW THAT IS DEADLY!
Guess it could work if you carry a lead brick in your purse. My main concern would be first making sure that your attacker speaks Finnish.

I wonder if that works on a methhead?
Not even using pepper spray? Yeah....do you love irresponsible advice from the media/government.
You know you could see the hand, if she shoved it up his nose... but no.