NCJ Number
160186
Date Published
1992
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Fearing the likelihood of assault, many women are purchasing guns for self-defense and successfully thwarting potential rapists and other attackers.
Abstract
In response to the increasing rate of attacks on women, many women are purchasing handguns for personal protection. More than 50 percent of the 104,000 women who responded to a March 1987 Ladies' Home Journal survey say they have guns in their homes, with 40 percent of them reporting that the firearms are owned strictly for protection. Forty-two percent of the respondents also report that they have been victims of crime. Although a large percentage of violent crimes do occur in the streets and some women carry guns out of fear of being attacked in the streets, the author does not recommend it unless a license to carry a concealed weapon has been acquired in those States that require it. In addition, the gun carrier should be well-trained in street defense and practice frequently on a combat course. Competency with a gun is extremely important and especially crucial in a public place where bystanders may be present. A woman who carries a gun on the street should not think that its mere possession will dispel danger; the purchase of the gun must be followed by training in when and how to use it. If a woman chooses to carry a gun after being thoroughly trained in shooting, she should carry it discreetly, neither displaying nor mentioning it to friends or associates. Recent statistics show that a gun is a formidable deterrent. Gary Kleck, a criminology professor at Florida State University, conducted a survey that found guns are used in defending against 645,000 crimes every year, with only one-third of the guns actually being fired.