Gun sales in the United States – including one of the least gun-friendly states in the nation – are expected to spike again, thanks to women.
In the state of California (which is infamous for its strict gun control laws that have even resulted in police getting locked up for seemingly minor offenses), one former Placer County deputy is making sure women learn the skills they need to carry responsibly.
“With a firearm in her hand, a woman can equally defend herself as a man can,” retired PCSO deputy Angela Ford said, explaining the reasoning behind the concept of her firearms class- which is called “Girls Giggles and Guns.”
“It’s a Ladies Firearms Familiarization Class, and it’s designed pretty much for women with little or no experience, and the goal is to educate them on firearms laws, safety and to empower them to be safe around firearms,” she said.
Ford’s class has proven popular with women and currently has a six-month waiting list.
The rise in students comes as part of a rise in gun ownership among women.
“Customary gun store or range, probably 95-98 percent of the customers were always men. That has changed dramatically in the last 10 years,” The Range gun store owner Jerod Johnson said. “The last five years it’s double over what it did 10 years ago, and it’s continuing to double at a rapid rate.”
At another store, shop owner Josh Deaser has seen a significant spike in women.
“I would say, in the beginning when we first opened eight years ago, it would probably around 15 percent. Now, in today’s day, we’re looking at 30 to 35 percent female shooters,” Deaser said.
Ford says changing cultures and the instability of society have prompted more women to arm themselves.
“With the way that our country’s changing, we have a lot of women living by themselves, they want to learn to protect themselves,” Ford said.
Since her first class, Ford has taught more than 3,000 women how to shoot.
“We live in a day and age where women are empowered, and they’re more independent, and with that comes a need to defend ourselves,” said student Julie Cannon.
According to Fox40, a recent Pew survey showed women were 50% more likely than men to cite personal protection as their reason for owning a firearm.
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