RObert, "Its easy to imagine those who decide that the risk to their personal safety is high enough to warrant carrying a gun being a little trigger happy if the right mix of unfortunate circumstances arises"

The crime would be lower through deterrent effect on likely offenders.

There is nothing to suggest that the sort of person who can qualify for a licence would ever be "trigger happy". Realistically you would forecast the opposite, that they would be cautious and reticent to use force.

I don't believe there is any instance where gun ownership has reduced crime.

Look at the figures for Australia during WW II, the country was awash with guns and the crime level was very low; there may of course be no correlation.

Or look at that old favorite the town of Kennesaw, Georgia.

"Gun law.
The town is noted for its unusual gun legislation. In 1982 the city passed an ordinance.

(a) In order to provide for the emergency management of the city, and further in order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition therefore.

(b) Exempt from the effect of this section are those heads of households who suffer a physical or mental disability which would prohibit them from using such a firearm.
Further exempt from the effect of this section are those heads of households who are paupers or who conscientiously oppose maintaining firearms as a result of beliefs or religious doctrine, or persons convicted of a felony.

Gun rights activist David Kopel stated that there is evidence that this gun law has reduced the incident rate of home burglaries citing that in the first year, home burglaries dropped from 65 before the ordinance, down to 26 in 1983, and to 11 in 1984.
The overall crime rate had decreased by more than 50% between 1982 and 2005.
Another report observed a noticeable reduction in burglary from 1981, the year before the ordinance was passed, to 1999.
A 2001 media report stated that Kennesaw's crime rates continued to decline and were well below the national average, making citizens feel safer and more secure.
Later research stated that there is no evidence that [the law] reduced the rate of home burglaries [in Kennesaw],
The city's website says that the city has the lowest crime rate in Cobb county.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennesaw,_Georgia

Shadow Minister and others,

You may like to look at this site, definite reduction in criminals and hence crime.
http://www.deadthugs.com/gun-fight-in-the-parking-lot.html

WARNING: Graphic crime scene photos.

A fitting end to a piece of garbage.

Another good one.
http://www.deadthugs.com/registered-sex-offender-killed-by-handgun-carry-permit-holder.html

chrisgaff1000
From my understanding, you are spot on. Unfortunately I dont think attitudes toward women in these countries will ever change. The idea to offer these women a means of self protection, against the rapist men in her community, could possibly lead to more harm than good.
For one of these down trodden women to be seen showing defiance, would go against grain. And if the situation arose, the offender was shot, be he stranger, acquaintance or relative the punishment she may have to endure could be permanent disfigurement.