One of my firearms instructors told me the FBI estimates there are between 2 million and 5 million legal defensive uses of firearms per year. Most go unreported to police, many “reported” or called in to police generate no official paperwork. The instructor himself had done that. Stopped a carjacking of his truck, not shots, no personal nor property damage (perp ran away scared). Called it in, no action taken. My own mother scared away someone lurking outside her open bedroom window with the classic racking of here 12 GA pump. He (probably a he) took off stumbling and crashing through the landscaping. Mom fixed it up but never even called it in.
So yes, I believe that literally hundreds of times per day firearms stop bad situations from escalating to worse. I know of these two examples out of a small group of family and friends who own/carry firearms. I also know a few people who did not or do not who have had bad things happen to them including one rape. I am convinced, overall, firearms save lives and reduce violence.
I agree. Though I sincerely hope and pray I NEVER have to shoot someone, I see a gun as the great “equalizer”. It won’t matter if my attacker outweighs me by a hundred pounds, having a gun gives me leverage to either stop the attack in its tracks or at least even the odds and have a way to protect myself.