Women and Guns

While gun control laws are on the rise, so is the number of women using and owning guns. In 2005, only 13 percent of gun owners were women according to a survey done by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. In 2013, the same survey was done and that number increased to 23 percent. This was a 77 percent increase in just 7 years.

A study on households owning firearms done in 2000 reported that 41 percent of homes in America owned a gun. There was a 15 percent jump over the next decade of total homes owning guns and, as of 2010, 47 percent of families reported to owning firearms. A large majority of this increase was due to women purchasing firearms for the safety of their homes and families.

According to a study done by The Daily Caller, one of the favorite choices of guns for women is the semi-auto .380. This is a great option for concealed carry gun owners, and many women prefer this gun for its very light and extremely slim design that allows them to carry anywhere without the slightest discomfort.

Not only are women learning to shoot for the obvious reason of self-defense for themselves and their family, but a large number have begun to participate in sports shooting. "Women's participation in shooting sports has surged over the last decade, increasing by 51.5 percent for target shooting from 2001 to 2011, to just over 5 million women, and by 41.8 percent for hunting," according to the National Sporting Goods Association.

It has been seen across the board that, as the sale of guns continue to increase, the levels of crime have begun to decrease. Statistics provided by The Department of Justice shows that "total violent crimes" (which consists of murder, forcible rape and sexual assault, non-negligent manslaughter, robbery, and assault have dropped from 42.1 percent to 39.2 percent in the last 10 years.

"Serious violent crimes" such as kidnapping, assault, battery and gang violence have decreased even more from 47.5 percent to 42.9 percent. It is estimated that 1 in 5 women in America are, at some point in their life, a victim of sexual assault. According to all4shooters.com, over the last decade, rape and other sexual related assaults have decreased 2 percent while robberies have decreased from 56.5 percent to 51.7 percent.