What a sexist thing to say! You sorta remind me of almost all my female gun students (I'm an NRA certified Firearms Instructor) who had a "Dad" or "boyfriend" offer to show them how to shoot a gun...then hand the poor gal a huge kicker like a 12 ga in 3" magnum or a 44 maggie and then laugh gently at their terrified faces at the recoil/noise and say...."That's alright darlin' I'll always be there to protect you..."
When I teach 'em, I start out (everybody starts this way even if I'm qualifying an Airborne Ranger for a FL CCW!) with a SA .22LR and gradually work every person up to the minimum I believe is needed for self defense: Either a .38sp revolver or a 9mm semi-auto.
THEN I go with them to the gun show and encourage them to pick up and fondle as many guns as they can...because picking a self defense carry weapon is a lot like picking a mate (draw your own conclusions...this is a family forum).
In any case, when you find THE ONE...you'll know it as sure as King Arthur knew it when he drew Excalibur from the stone....a perfect fit. Then...I don't care what it is...size or caliber. You buy it and I'll teach you to use it to defend yourself and carry it with maximum comfort.
fso301...SHAME on you for being so sexist. My wife carries a Colt Combat Commander in 45ACP. The president of my gunclub....is a GUNSITE grad and a woman....and sudden death in every direction. In the last 15 years, this woman has had to draw against a criminal at least four times.
Guess we hit on it instinctively -- had a friend whose husband ran off with his nurse and left her in a big house with three little girls under the age of 10 . . . and a loaded .38 on the master bedroom closet floor. (He was not only a jerk, he was an idiot too.)
She quite sensibly was afraid to touch it, and called us in for a consultation. We retrieved it and discovered it was loaded . . . then told her we would teach her how to use it and keep it safely. Took her to the range, started her with my little S&W semi-auto .22 target pistol, and worked her up to the .45 ACP (she decided to stop there and not try the .41 Mag.) But she REALLY liked the 1911A1, better than the .38 S&W she had.
I don't think sexism had anything to do with it. The lady in the article and countless others use .25 and .32 caliber pistols for close defence. It just happens to be my opinion that a compact .22mag revolver would pack more of a punch.
Men, married or single, tend to think of handguns in different terms than women.
I think women tend to consider a personal defense handgun from a different perspective. I don't think they give as much consideration to the prospect of defending themselves against a crazed assailant high on PCP as men do. I also don't think they give as much consideration to the prospect of being involved in a gunfight where even if your first hit isn't immediately fatal, your opponent wouldn't immediately try to stop fighting and flee the scene.
From my observations over the years, a single woman will tend to consider a personal weapon as a deterrent and defense against being abducted, raped and or hacked to pieces by some serial killer.
A mother will tend to want a similar degree of protection extended to her family.
Notice how I said the woman fears being hacked to pieces. In such case, a .25 or .32 is adequate deterrence against a sicko out to get his jollies. From the predators standpoint, the prey has to be defensless and the predator has to be able to torture her to get his sick pleasure. Her small pocket pistol is a major deterrent in this case. He can't get his sick jollies by just shooting her, and running away. If she's able to land just a single non-fatal shot, he has a very major problem as the anonymous secrecy required by serial killers will be blown. The risk to the sicko at this point is too high. Having a pea shooter brandished at him by a person willing to use it will be sufficient deterrent to have him flee and search elswhere for a little lamb.
In the case of this story, the burglar didn't think the lady would use the gun, he advanced and got the surprise of his life.
The little .32 did it's job of protecting the homeowner. The assailant either went off and bled to death or is probably under arrest in a hospital.
A study came out a few years ago in which a citizen merely brandishing a gun regardless of caliber was significant crime deterrent.
All that having been said, the .22mag has a higher velocity and more than twice the energy of a .32. I still think a compact revolver in .22mag would be a better choice than a .25, or .32. I don't see any sexism in that belief.