The number of women in Florida getting concealed carry permits is on the rise as the biggest increase in people in the state with concealed carry permits are women. Florida represents a region in which more people than any other state are legally permitted to carry a gun almost anywhere with over one million concealed permit holders.
Percentages of Women with CCW Increasing
In Central Florida the Orlando Herald interviewed “Shotgun Shirley,” a recent concealed carry permit recipient who represents a percentage of women 66 and older who characterize the biggest increase in permit holders. Shirley is one of nearly 35,000 women in her age group that are licensed to carry a gun in Florida as well as 35 other states. Since 2004—when records on this data began to be compiled—the number of women in this age group with permits has increased 619 percent.
Shirley, like so many others who are getting licensed, did so because she was concerned about her safety after her husband passed just three years ago. “I didn’t realize how vulnerable I was until I started thinking about it. … I was in denial.” Shotgun Shirley received her nickname from her retirement community’s gun club where weekly shooting matches are followed by lunch. Each member of the club adopts a nickname and Shirley naturally received the best rhyming name although she only owns a .22-caliber pistol for target practice and a .380-caliber semi-automatic for self-defense.
In addition to women in Shirley’s age bracket seeking concealed carry permits women in the youngest age bracket, 21 to 35, are also seeing spikes in interest. Since 2004 these young adults have seen a 463 percent spike in concealed carry, a number that is four times as many as men in the same age group.
Women Have Unlimited Carry Options
Why the Interest in Getting Your Concealed Carry Permits?
To learn the cause of the popularity of concealed carry permits the Orlando Sentinel conducted interviews with over 50 permit holders asking them why they decided to get licensed. The majority of respondents cited that they could not rely on police to arrive in time in the event a crime happened. Others, mostly men and women over 60, cited that vulnerability without some means of self-defense was their rationale for getting licensed. Finally, fear of the federal government was also voiced and a large percentage of respondents said that Obama’s intention to curtail or end gun owner’s Second Amendment rights was a factor in getting licensed.
What is you reason for learning about concealed carry permits in Citrus County?
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