Left-leaning mainstream media outlets and politicians would have women believe that guns in the home present a domestic violence hazard. The reality is that women are at a significant physical disadvantage when it comes to being able to defend themselves. And, as we know, a gun is the great equalizer: It puts a woman on equal footing against an attacker who is physically stronger. In fact, guns are more likely to help a trained woman defend her life than to be used against her. The U.S. Department of Justice's National Crime Victimization Survey canvasses 100,000 people a year and finds that gun ownership is the safest course of action for people — particularly women — who are trying to protect themselves from a violent crime.

These studies and surveys also show us that a woman who behaves passively in the face of an attack is 2.4 times more likely to be seriously injured than a woman who uses a gun to defend herself.

HEARING THEIR STORIES Interestingly enough, there are plenty of examples of women defending their lives with firearms, but when was the last time you heard a left-leaning media organization tell one of those stories? The national media virtually never cover defensive-gun-use stories in which innocent lives are saved.

Instead, coverage tends to be saturated with stories in which guns are used to harm innocent people or in the commission of other crimes. As far as women are concerned, these outlets often only cover stories involving domestic violence or stalking situations in which the victims were badly injured or killed.

I believe it's high time these success stories are highlighted. And the Crime Prevention Research Center has compiled just a few of the many examples of defensive-gun-use stories that involve domestic violence. These women's stories need to be recognized, and their voices need to be heard.

Here are only a pitiful handful from just last year alone:

June 7, 2019: A woman in her late 50s shoots and kills her ex-boyfriend in self-defense after he assaults her, threatens to kill her and knocks out one of her teeth.

June 6, 2019: A woman protects herself and her five children by shooting and injuring her ex-boyfriend after he violates an order of protection and tries to break into her house through a window.

May 10, 2019: A District Judge shoots and wounds her husband in their home after he violates an order of protection from abuse.

April 30, 2019: A woman shoots and kills her ex-boyfriend after he breaks into her home. He had sent her text messages all day threatening to kill her.

April 3, 2019: A woman, in fear for her life, shoots and kills her boyfriend after he becomes belligerent and attacks her in her home.

Feb. 14, 2019: A woman protects herself and her teen son by shooting and killing a man after he violently attacks them in their home.

Jan. 6, 2019: A 52-year-old woman shoots and kills a man in her home who breaches an order of protection forbidding him from going near her address.

These stories aren't just some abstract discussion to me. These women are survivors of violent crime.

I have done my own research on this type of violence to see what 'they' suggest. The advice I've found tells victims never to go anywhere alone, change her phone number, switch up her routine, warn people close to her about the stalker, abuse or abuser, take notes and keep track of what the perpetrator does, take out a restraining order, move to another location, get a new job ... basically to change their entire life.

THIS NEXT PARAGRAPH IS KEY, SO READ IT CAREFULLY!

That kind of advice is re-victimizing someone who is already a victim. I have yet to see anything out there on websites like The National Center for Victims of Crime that tells a victim of stalking or domestic violence to consider getting the best defensive tool possible: a gun. There's no explanation of the basic human right of self-defense or how to legally act if you find your life in imminent danger.

There's no advice on steps to legally carry a gun in public to defend yourself against someone you fear may be trying to hurt or kill you. Why is this subject so ignored? Why is it seen as so taboo?

I believe if this advice were given upfront — in a very factual and honest way — it would go a very long way in helping a lot of good people to protect themselves.

Some still believe a restraining order can protect women, but the very sad fact is that a restraining order is nothing more than a piece of paper and worth nothing more than that. The penalty for violating a restraining order is trivial compared to the penalty for assaulting or murdering women or their loved ones.

If a criminal is willing to commit a violent crime, he or she will then have absolutely no problem violating a restraining order. And, unfortunately, real life does not mimic the movies. where a woman can easily knock out the bad guy or run away from a larger attacker.

We often hear how important it is to empower women. I believe women should be empowered to defend themselves however they see fit. And I want them to know that, with proper training, having a gun is viable. potentially life-saving option.

It's time for the mainstream media to present a more balanced view of gun use in America so women can decide for themselves if having a gun would be beneficial to them or not. It's their absolute right to choose.