GregGry
Member
Ok, I found this lovely piece on the net when I was searching for statistics for women who are armed. I can't believe how ignorant the writers are, not to mention how like most everything the brady campaign uses is outdated by at least 6 years. I am going to use this, and my counter points, in a final paper about why people (especially women) can benefit by having a firearm, and why wisconsin needs to have a CCW law.
WOMEN AND GUNS
For years, the gun industry and gun lobby have perpetrated the myth that owning guns will protect women from violent crime. The industry's goal is to create a new market by persuading women to purchase guns and join the ranks of gun enthusiasts. Its sales strategy is based on promoting fear.
The gun industry doesn't need to promote fear to sell guns, any woman that watches the news and hears about all the rapes, murders, assaults, etc will get plenty of fear put in them. Then of course the media will then tell women that guns are bad, when in reality firearms are one of many things that would help keep them safe
The result has been the increasing purchase of guns by women, although not in the numbers the gun industry would like. Only approximately 10 percent of women own guns. Separating out facts from myth makes clear that women are endangered rather protected by the proliferation of handguns.
Although yes firearm companies want to sell more guns, women that buy guns and learn how to shoot have the benefit of not having to rely on someone else to protect themselves.
Myth: Guns protect women from gun violence.
Fact: Rates of female homicide, suicide and unintentional firearm death are disproportionately higher in states where guns are more prevalent.
Fact: In the US, regions with higher levels of handgun ownership have higher suicide rates. Although women have higher rates of depression than men, it is the handgun-suicide connection, rather than depression, that accounts for higher suicide rates.
Ok so if you take away firearms, the firearm suicide numbers will drop, however I am willing to bet hangings and other methods will go up
. Having a firearm makes it easy to kill oneself, however to blame the suicide on the gun is ludicrous. The fact that many women kill themselves be it with a gun or anything else, tells me we need to do something to help fight depression in women, not ban guns and think that will help
Myth: Handgun ownership increases women’s ability to defend themselves.
Fact: In 1998, women were 101 times more likely to be murdered with a handgun than to use a handgun to kill in self-defense. Women were 302 times more likely to be murdered with a handgun than to use a handgun to kill a stranger in self-defense. Women were 83 times more likely to be
murdered by an intimate acquaintance with a handgun than to kill an intimate acquaintance in self-defense.
This is my favorite one. If anyone actually reads everything, you will remember at the top they say only 10% of women own guns. Its easy to see why the statistics show that women are more likey to be shot then shoot, its because 90% of them couldn't shoot due to the fact they had no gun!
Fact: In the rare cases in which women do use guns in self-defense, it is most commonly against an attacker known to them.
Again, this doesn't prove anything. A idiot is an idiot, it doesn't matter if its someone the woman knows, or joe blow on the street.
Myth: Guns protect women from rape.
Fact: Guns are rarely used by rapists - less than 2 percent of rapes are committed with guns, while almost 70 percent are committed with personal weapons (physical violence). Women would be safer knowing self-defense to fight off an attacker than using a gun which can easily be turned against
them.
If anyone is promoting fear, its the brady campaign. Saying that the gun can easily be used again the woman who has it, and that most rapists aren't armed, makes it sound like a rapist poses no threat, and that by carrying a gun your going to get hurt. Lets see here, take me for example.. I am 6'6" 230, and a lot of muscle. If I were to be a rapist on the street, most every woman would not be able to fight me off. And since we all know how "well" screaming for help works as far as getting actual help, a low lowlife of my size and strength could seriously pose a huge threat to women in general.
Now if a woman had a firearm, and was properly trained with it, she has one tool that might save her life, and save herself from mental/physical harm of a rape. Self defense tatics might also safe your life, but that in combination with a firearm (and traing) is an invaluable. If the fact that most rapists are unarmed is correct, then if women had firearms on them, that would more then turn things to their favor which is a great thing.
I mean lets be realistic here, how would any 5'5" tall, typical woman even stand a chance against a guy my size and strength, without a firearm. I am very good at working on problems, and comming up with logical answers, and for the problem of fighting off rapists and attakers (especially ones my size) I can't come with any more potent of idea for protection, then a firearm (and training).
Myth: Women need guns to protect against stranger rape.
Fact: Stranger rape is not the greatest danger for women as most women (75 percent) are raped by offenders known to the victim. 60 percent of rapes are committed against victims under the age of 18 who are forbidden by law to own a gun.
July 2005
This is a real dandy. It doesn't matter if your being raped by a friend, or a guy on the street. If you have a firearm, and are trained to use it, you have a very good method of protection. The fact a woman is not likely to be raped by a stranger (compared to by someone a woman knows) doesn't mean that you should take being raped by a stranger as a joke. According to what they claim, if a woman is going to be raped, they have a 25% chance they wont know them, and a 75% chance that they do. By women protecting themselves 100% of the time, they can fight rape and assaults in general. The statistic they end their writing with is a good indication why CCW should not start at 21 years of age.
Lets face it, women need firearms to protect themselves. If a woman is against firearms so be it, they at the very least need to take their lives seriously, and take self defense courses. Firearms aren't for everyone, and I am no person to tell another that they must have a firearm. However, if you break down what even the brady campaign writes, most smart people would see that women who are trained in firearms and carry firearms, have a significant advantage.
Ok thats all I have, i know I made made spelling grammatical errors. I just wanted to let out steam, and get a lot of my thoughts down, before I work on the paper. If anyone would like to comment, or add their opionions, please do so. Thanks -Greg
WOMEN AND GUNS
For years, the gun industry and gun lobby have perpetrated the myth that owning guns will protect women from violent crime. The industry's goal is to create a new market by persuading women to purchase guns and join the ranks of gun enthusiasts. Its sales strategy is based on promoting fear.
The gun industry doesn't need to promote fear to sell guns, any woman that watches the news and hears about all the rapes, murders, assaults, etc will get plenty of fear put in them. Then of course the media will then tell women that guns are bad, when in reality firearms are one of many things that would help keep them safe
The result has been the increasing purchase of guns by women, although not in the numbers the gun industry would like. Only approximately 10 percent of women own guns. Separating out facts from myth makes clear that women are endangered rather protected by the proliferation of handguns.
Although yes firearm companies want to sell more guns, women that buy guns and learn how to shoot have the benefit of not having to rely on someone else to protect themselves.
Myth: Guns protect women from gun violence.
Fact: Rates of female homicide, suicide and unintentional firearm death are disproportionately higher in states where guns are more prevalent.
Fact: In the US, regions with higher levels of handgun ownership have higher suicide rates. Although women have higher rates of depression than men, it is the handgun-suicide connection, rather than depression, that accounts for higher suicide rates.
Ok so if you take away firearms, the firearm suicide numbers will drop, however I am willing to bet hangings and other methods will go up
. Having a firearm makes it easy to kill oneself, however to blame the suicide on the gun is ludicrous. The fact that many women kill themselves be it with a gun or anything else, tells me we need to do something to help fight depression in women, not ban guns and think that will helpMyth: Handgun ownership increases women’s ability to defend themselves.
Fact: In 1998, women were 101 times more likely to be murdered with a handgun than to use a handgun to kill in self-defense. Women were 302 times more likely to be murdered with a handgun than to use a handgun to kill a stranger in self-defense. Women were 83 times more likely to be
murdered by an intimate acquaintance with a handgun than to kill an intimate acquaintance in self-defense.
This is my favorite one. If anyone actually reads everything, you will remember at the top they say only 10% of women own guns. Its easy to see why the statistics show that women are more likey to be shot then shoot, its because 90% of them couldn't shoot due to the fact they had no gun!
Fact: In the rare cases in which women do use guns in self-defense, it is most commonly against an attacker known to them.
Again, this doesn't prove anything. A idiot is an idiot, it doesn't matter if its someone the woman knows, or joe blow on the street.
Myth: Guns protect women from rape.
Fact: Guns are rarely used by rapists - less than 2 percent of rapes are committed with guns, while almost 70 percent are committed with personal weapons (physical violence). Women would be safer knowing self-defense to fight off an attacker than using a gun which can easily be turned against
them.
If anyone is promoting fear, its the brady campaign. Saying that the gun can easily be used again the woman who has it, and that most rapists aren't armed, makes it sound like a rapist poses no threat, and that by carrying a gun your going to get hurt
. Lets see here, take me for example.. I am 6'6" 230, and a lot of muscle. If I were to be a rapist on the street, most every woman would not be able to fight me off. And since we all know how "well" screaming for help works as far as getting actual help, a low lowlife of my size and strength could seriously pose a huge threat to women in general. Now if a woman had a firearm, and was properly trained with it, she has one tool that might save her life, and save herself from mental/physical harm of a rape. Self defense tatics might also safe your life, but that in combination with a firearm (and traing) is an invaluable. If the fact that most rapists are unarmed is correct, then if women had firearms on them, that would more then turn things to their favor which is a great thing.
I mean lets be realistic here, how would any 5'5" tall, typical woman even stand a chance against a guy my size and strength, without a firearm. I am very good at working on problems, and comming up with logical answers, and for the problem of fighting off rapists and attakers (especially ones my size) I can't come with any more potent of idea for protection, then a firearm (and training).
Myth: Women need guns to protect against stranger rape.
Fact: Stranger rape is not the greatest danger for women as most women (75 percent) are raped by offenders known to the victim. 60 percent of rapes are committed against victims under the age of 18 who are forbidden by law to own a gun.
July 2005
This is a real dandy. It doesn't matter if your being raped by a friend, or a guy on the street. If you have a firearm, and are trained to use it, you have a very good method of protection. The fact a woman is not likely to be raped by a stranger (compared to by someone a woman knows) doesn't mean that you should take being raped by a stranger as a joke. According to what they claim, if a woman is going to be raped, they have a 25% chance they wont know them, and a 75% chance that they do. By women protecting themselves 100% of the time, they can fight rape and assaults in general. The statistic they end their writing with is a good indication why CCW should not start at 21 years of age.
Lets face it, women need firearms to protect themselves. If a woman is against firearms so be it, they at the very least need to take their lives seriously, and take self defense courses. Firearms aren't for everyone, and I am no person to tell another that they must have a firearm. However, if you break down what even the brady campaign writes, most smart people would see that women who are trained in firearms and carry firearms, have a significant advantage.
Ok thats all I have, i know I made made spelling grammatical errors. I just wanted to let out steam, and get a lot of my thoughts down, before I work on the paper. If anyone would like to comment, or add their opionions, please do so. Thanks -Greg
