A S&W airlight .38 is the best for my families women. They don't have to remember if there's one in the pipe or not or is the safety on or off. They just need to point and pull the trigger. In a hurry or in a crisis there usually is no time for memory checklists.
My wife had an airweight but has some carpal tunnel issues. The trigger weight and length are strong enough she wouldn’t practice with it.
"Just point and pull, Honey"
All my self defense handguns are wheelguns. I've have had too many semiauto fails