Some Women Turning To Guns For Peace Of Mind
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Some Women Turning To Guns For Peace Of Mind
A woman takes aim at gun class (AP)
Home is where we feel the safest. Or at least we should. When that security is stolen, it leaves many people, especially women, wondering how to fight back.
Pepper spray is a popular option. But these days, more and more women are turning to something much stronger.
Patricia Fallon describes the day she came home to find her house broken into.
"I knew right then and there...I was robbed. You feel like you're violated...feel like you've been assaulted. You live in fear after that because you're afraid they're gonna come back," says Fallon.
Not only did Patricia lose property but her sense of security was also stolen in September of 2007.
"I didn't know if they found my spare keys...you don't know...I was afraid to come in by myself," she says.
And forget about getting a good night's sleep. An alarm helped. She had it installed the day after the burglary. But it still wasn't enough to give Fallon peace of mind.
"How long do you wait before you are the victim, and it's a final victim situation where they kill you," Fallon asks.
Patricia waited an entire year before she decided to buy a gun.
"It's a sigsauer P229. It's a semi-automatic. It holds 12 rounds and you can chamber one and have lucky 13," she said as she displayed the gun.
Fallon took a safety course and practices every month. Very good advice says her instructor.
"If you're not willing to use the weapon statistics bear out that the weapon will be taken and used against you," says Dennis Root, a longtime firearms instructor and self-defense teacher. "They're looking for the victim...you have to decide you're not going to be the victim."
Root says women can take control of their situations with just some planning and preparation.
"With the proper training and experience a woman can be safer with a firearm than without one because it gives them the means of controlling a subject at a distance," says Root.
Guns are certainly not the answer for everyone. Patricia lives alone and has no children.
Root says having kids in the house changes how and where you lock and store your weapon. And he can't stress enough the importance of safety training for any new gun owner.
Copyright 2009 The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
