My wife had zero experience so I got her a Browning .22 to shoot first. After a couple of trips she shot my .45 last time with no real problems, except she kept missing low from gripping too tight in anticipation of the recoil. No safety issues, as she listened to whatever I told her.
She still doesn't enjoy shooting - and refused to try the AR-15. Oh, well...
“She still doesn't enjoy shooting - and refused to try the AR-15.”
And that’s a shame because an AR-15 is easier to handle for a beginner than just about any pistol.