Rosie vs. Reality: What Every Woman Must Know

JPFO Alerts

Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Inc.
P.O. Box 270143
Hartford, WI 53027
Phone (800) 869-1884
Fax (425) 451-3959

June 7, 2000
Rosie vs. Reality: What Every Woman Must Know
By Richard W. Stevens
Suppose a Hollywood star or a political figure publicly announced that he or she favored making all women and families helpless and defenseless against vicious thugs. Would women cheer and vow their undying support for that person?
Yet if you believe the published polls and the media news showmen, then it's true: women actually want to be defenseless. Many women don't want to be able to protect themselves or their families from crazies, druggies, violent ex-boyfriends, rapists, home invaders and stalkers. What's more, these women want to prevent other women from protecting themselves, too.
When some women say they want more "gun control," they are actually saying they want to make it harder for peace-loving women to obtain personal and home defense tools. All current and proposed "gun laws" work to discourage firearm ownership. Except for the shall-issue concealed carry rules in some states, none of the "gun laws" does anything to help an endangered woman obtain a firearm and learn how best to use it for self-defense.
Facts About Self-Defense
For the woman who values the safety of herself and her family, a firearm can be literally a lifesaver. Here are the facts:

Americans use firearms to protect themselves over 5,000 times per day -- that's over 3 defensive uses every minute.
Over 500 women use firearms to defend themselves against sexual assault or abuse each day -- that's one woman protected every 3 minutes.
In over 92% of defensive gun use cases, the victim brandished the firearm arm or fired a warning shot only -- no wounding or killing was involved.
Research has shown it is safer to defend against violent attack using a firearm than to resist with other means such as wielding knives, hitting back, or running away.
National Safety Council data for 1995 show the number of accidental deaths involving firearms misuse are far less than those resulting from accidents involving falls, poison, drowning and fires. This is especially true for children age 14 and under.
Regional and national studies confirm that criminals avoid targets (men, women, homes, buildings) where the potential victims might be armed.

Bottom line: Armed citizens are safer.
Facts About Government-ordered Protection
What can the anti-self defense lobby and the government offer to protect women? Let's check the options:

Options Dangerous realities

Dial 911 / call police (1) Police have no legal duty to respond and prevent crime or protect the victim
(2) 95% of the time police arrive too late to prevent a crime or arrest the suspect

Cell phone 911 (1) In over 90% of U.S., technology does not give dispatcher the location of caller (who might be lost or unable to explain)
(2) Worthless if phone or cell don't function at the time

Restraining/Protective Orders (1) 75% of orders are violated
(2) Police often won't enforce unless they witness the violation
(3) An order is a piece of paper ...

"Gun control" laws Disarm victims, have no effect on criminals.

User-restricted firearms (1) Mandatory trigger locks slow down the defender only, not the attacker.
(2) Electronic restriction chip can fail / battery can die.

Tell Women The Truth
Don't ask women whether they favor more "gun control" laws. Ask them instead: "do you favor laws that prevent women from protecting themselves and their families from violent criminals?" Women need to understand that the real issue is self-defense. Every three minutes there is a woman defending herself with a sidearm.
Violence against women is immoral, illegal and intolerable. That's why it's wrong to disarm women and leave them defenseless against predators.
To bring this point home, JPFO has a nationwide billboard campaign with a matching funds program to get local people involved. The theme: Rapists love trigger locks. These billboards show exactly how crucial a defensive firearm is for women.
Get involved today by calling (800) 869-1884 or (800) 869-1884. See the billboard at http://www.jpfo.org/billboard-2.htm
Ask about JPFO's all-new myth-busting booklet "Can Gun Control Make You Safer?"

References

Americans use firearms to protect themselves over 5,000 times per day -- that's over 3 defensive uses every minute.
Source: Gary Kleck and Marc Gertz, "Armed Resistance to Crime: The Prevalence and Nature of Self-Defense With a Gun," 86 The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Northwestern University School of Law, 1 (Fall 1995):164.

Over 500 women use firearms to defend themselves against sexual assault or abuse each day -- that's one woman protected every 3 minutes.
Source: Kleck and Gertz, "Armed Resistance to Crime," at 185.

In over 92% of defensive gun use cases, the victim brandished the firearm arm or fired a warning shot only -- no wounding or killing was involved.
Source: Kleck and Gertz, "Armed Resistance to Crime," at 173, 185.

Research has shown it is safer to defend against violent attack using a firearm than to resist with other means such as wielding knives, hitting back, or running away.
Sources:
(1) U.S. Department of Justice, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, Rape Victimization in 26 American Cities, 1979, p. 31.
(2) Don B. Kates, Jr., Guns, Murders, and the Constitution: Realistic Assessment of Gun Control, (Pacific Research Foundation, 1990), at 25-26, 28-29, citing U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics ( http://www.2ndlawlib.org/other/related/katesreal.html)

National Safety Council data for 1995 show the number of accidental deaths involving firearms misuse are far less than those resulting from accidents involving falls, poison, drowning and fires. This is especially true for children age 14 and under.
Source: National Safety Council, Accident Facts: 1998 Edition, at 10-11, 18, 121.

Regional and national studies confirm that criminals avoid targets (men, women, homes, buildings) where the potential victims might be armed.
Sources:
(1) Gary Kleck, "Crime Control Through the Private Use of Armed Force," Social Problems 35 (February 1988), at 13,15.
(2) Chief Dwaine L. Wilson, City of Kennesaw Police Department, "Month to Month Statistics: 1991."
(3) Kleck, Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America, (Aldine de Gruyter, 1991),at 140.
(4) U.S. Department of Justice, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, Rape Victimization in 26 American Cities, 1979, p. 31.
(5) Lott, John R. 1998. More Guns, Less Crime. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
(6) Lott, John R. and Mustard, David. 1997. Crime, Deterrence, and Right-to-Carry Concealed Handguns Laws. Journal of Legal Studies 26 (Jan.), pp. 1-68.
(7) U.S., Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, "The Armed Criminal in America: A Survey of Incarcerated Felons," Research Report, (July 1985): 27.

Police have no legal duty to respond and prevent crime or protect the victim.
Sources:
(1) Richard W. Stevens. 1999. Dial 911 and Die. Hartford, Wisconsin: Mazel Freedom Press.
(2) Barillari v. City of Milwaukee, 533 N.W.2d 759 (Wis. 1995).
(3) Bowers v. DeVito, 686 F.2d 616 (7th Cir. 1982).
(4) DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services, 489 U.S. 189 (1989).
(5) Ford v. Town of Grafton, 693 N.E.2d 1047 (Mass. App. 1998).
(6) Warren v. District of Columbia, 444 A.2d 1 (D.C. 1981).

95% of the time police arrive too late to prevent a crime or arrest the suspect.
Source: Witkin, Gordon, Guttman, Monika and Lenzy, Tracy. 1996. This is 911 ... please hold. U.S. News & World Report 120, (June 17), at 30.

In over 90% of U.S., technology does not give dispatcher the location of cell telephone caller (who might be lost or unable to explain)
Source: Susan Bahr. 1999. 911 - hello? Hellooooo? America’s Network 103, (April 1), p. 18.

75% of protective/restraining orders are violated and police often won't enforce unless they witness the violation.
Source: Ellen Sorokin. 2000. Anti-stalking laws usually are unable to protect targets. Washington Times, April 16, p. C-1.

This Alert archived at http://www.jpfo.org/alert20000607.htm

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Options	Dangerous realities
Dial 911 / call police	(1) Police have no legal duty to respond and prevent crime or protect the victim (2) 95% of the time police arrive too late to prevent a crime or arrest the suspect
Cell phone 911	(1) In over 90% of U.S., technology does not give dispatcher the location of caller (who might be lost or unable to explain) (2) Worthless if phone or cell don't function at the time
Restraining/Protective Orders	(1) 75% of orders are violated (2) Police often won't enforce unless they witness the violation (3) An order is a piece of paper ...
"Gun control" laws	Disarm victims, have no effect on criminals.
User-restricted firearms	(1) Mandatory trigger locks slow down the defender only, not the attacker. (2) Electronic restriction chip can fail / battery can die.