Pro-gun groups have emphasized two themes: (1) that women should arm themselves for self-protection and (2) that many women have already armed themselves and many more are planning to do so. The mass media have debated the wisdom of the first theme but have generally accepted the truth of the second theme. However, the best available data reveal that the ownership of firearms among women is not increasing, the gender gap is not closing, and the level of gun ownership is much lower than commonly stated. Approximately 11-12 percent of women own a gun, and 4.5 percent to 8 percent own a handgun. In addition, the typical female gun owner is not an unmarried woman living in a large city or a past or fearful victim of violent crime. Gun ownership is higher among married women living outside large cities, and it is associated more with hunting than with either fear of crime or past victimization. Tables and footnotes