ok,you might want to get a cup of coffee,before reading this,if you are not familiar with firearms i would advise you not to get one,especially for the protection is more likely you would shoot yourself or someone innocent,,,in a situation like that it is unlikely a man alone is gonna attack a woman who has someone with her,and if he did it is gonna happen so damn quick you will not have time to react,there are to modes fight and flight,women are more prone to the flight mode,even if she had a gun with her and someone attacked her it is very unlikely she would even remember she has it,she would be overpowered before she could react,,,,i was in the seals for 7 years and know how to use a firearm,a couple of years ago i was going south to visit family,i had bought a computer for my nephew and was takeing it down to him(he thought santa was bring it)anyway i stopped to get something to eat at 200 pm,downtown columbus,come back out to my car,this guy comes up and askes me if i have a light,i dont smoke but i knew there was a lighter in the car,i have a portable c.b i use when traveling,it was plugged into the cigarette lighter and laying on the dashboard,as i was looking for the lighter i seen his arm come into the car and grab the c.b.without thinking i grabbed him,i was sitting in the car and he was standing outside,as i grabbed him he hit me several times,and i was hitting him in the stomach,,,,anyway i seen two other guys come up to the passenger side of the car and try to get in,luckley the doors were locked,at that point i pulled my pistol and stuck it in his stomach,he started screaming not to shoot him ,,he broke free and run,i got out of the car and the others were running the othe way,,during the scuffle i got my glasses broke,and a tooth knocked out,,,if not for my training i wouldent have thought to pull out my pistol,and the situation could have gotten a lot worse.if not for my training ,if i had remembered to pull my pistol i probley would have shot him,possibley takeing someones life over a 20 doller c.b,,,,what im trying to say is if you dont know what you are doing you are possibley sitting yourself up for more trouble than you want,,if it is that bad,,go somewhere else where it is safer,or a health club,ive been married for 23 years and if it were not safe for my wife to go out walking,i would not strap on my pistol and take her,that is just looking for trouble,and believe me ,if you are looking for it,you will find it,you do not want to take another persons life,,im not saying be a candy ass and tuck your tail and run,,,(dont mean to offend you)but if you love your woman,,,why put her in a dangerous situation..i do believe everyone should own a firearm,(i have 31,pistol,shotguns,rifles,and a couple ill not mention)not only for protection,target shooting,hunting,,i have a gun permit and take one with me everytime i leave the house,my wife also has a permit and she carries one in her purse,,she is very familiar with firearms and a good shot,but i know if someone attacked her she would freak and forget about having it,some good advice,walk somewhere else,or go with others,get others to walk with you,(safety in numbers)