Crime and Justice News reports that more women are choosing to arm themselves and to seek conceal and carry permits.
An increase in women and others buying their first firearms for personal protection has contributed to the uptick in concealable guns, said Jeffrey Duenk, owner of a firearms training center in Oostburg, Wi. His business, opened three years ago, was designed to be inviting to new gun owners with clean, bright rooms and no dead animals on the wall. Sales have taken off for Post Falls, Id.-based Tactica Defense Fashion, a line of clothing and accessories for women to hide handguns, President Sandi Little said. The U.S. Concealed Carry Association, a West Bend, Wi.-based company that offers training and other services for concealed-carry gun owners, has 350,000 members, up from 48,000 in 2012. In 2019, the FBI conducted background checks for the purchase of 6.8 million handguns and about 4.7 million long guns.