Tuesday 6 September 2011

Women and Firearms


Throughout history women have, in one form or another, fought to protect their homes and their families. Although it was typically considered a man’s job to fight and defend the family, the woman was oftentimes left behind while her husband, brother or father marched off to battle.  With the men folk away, the matters of defense were left for the women to implement.  From the beginning of time through the present, women have taken up arms to defend family, home and hearth. Whether they used sticks, swords, pots and pans, or firearms, women have been arming themselves for centuries to defend the ones they love.

Although women did not even get the right to vote until this century, they still played very integral roles in defending not just the home front, but also their countries.  Frontier woman usually had a shot gun by the door (and they knew how to use it) to protect against thieves, raids, bandits and even wild animals looking for food.  Some women were so passionate and intent upon protecting their families and countries that they disguised themselves as men just to get into the military.  During the American Revolution, a “British officer lamented to his commander, “Destroy all the men in America and we shall still have all we can do to defeat the women’" (WomenShooters.com).  

Less than one hundred years after receiving the right to vote, women have made incredible advancements.  With equal rights, women now have the right to bare arms. Women serve and fight alongside men in the military, as equals.  According to Answers.com, approximately 250,000 women currently serve in the military.  But the military isn’t the only way women are using firearms; the trend for women purchasing guns for their own security and protection is rapidly rising.  According to the News 2 website out of Nashville, Tennessee, “In Middle Tennessee and across the nation, the number of women buying guns for personal defense has increased 83%.
A great contributor for the increase in firearm purchases by women is domestic violence.  According to the Domestic Resource Center’s Website, “One in four women (25%) has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime,” and “Between 600,000 and 6 million women are victims of domestic violence each year.”  Because of this alarming statistic, more and more women are taking self defense classes and purchasing firearms for their protection.

Women are not just buying firearms; however, they are taking an active role in educating women in self defense using weapons.  Their efforts have also had an impact on the seemingly never-ending debate on gun control.  As Sonny Jones, founder of the magazine Women and Guns notes in the magazine’s debut issue, “Female gun owners are being cast as potential saviors of the pro-gun movement. Think carefully, ladies. Our combined influence can work to reshape American society. What do we want to accomplish and where do we want to start?”

Every human being has the right to be able to defend and protect themselves and their loved ones.  The right to bare arms is a constitutional right and a way for many women who are in  dangerous situations to be able to defend themselves.   Owning and knowing how to use a firearm provides a sense of security and doesn’t necessarily mean one will ever even have to fire a single shot.  However, if a woman finds herself in a precarious situation, it is reassuring to have at least a chance of defending her life and person.  


Women and Firearms