Direct-contact electric shock weapons deliver an electric shock through direct contact between electrodes or conductive strips and the target individual. Types of direct-contact electric shock weapons include:
- Stun shields – A regular shield design with one or more conductive strips on the front
- Stun batons and stun guns – Straight, telescopic (stun baton), or curved (stun gun) design with two or four electrodes on the tip or conductive strips along the length of the baton.
- Stun gloves – Worn by a security official, delivers an electric shock once touched to the target individual.
Due to their design and purpose, direct-contact electric shock weapons are inherently abusive equipment that facilitate torture, including through application of multiple or continuous electric shocks, as well as electric shocks to vulnerable areas of the body such as the head, neck, and genitals. These weapons carry an unacceptable risk of arbitrary force and use fulfils no legitimate law enforcement purpose therefore they should not be manufactured, traded, or used by law enforcement.