If a would-be rapist finds himself looking down the muzzle of a woman's pistol, he can almost certainly escape unharmed if he turns around and runs away. If he tries to take the woman's pistol, however, he faces a great risk. Even if he were 90% certain of success, that would still mean he had an almost-10% chance of getting killed. Criminals are often not very bright, but one doesn't have to be Einstein to realize it isn't bright to risk one's life when there's no reward even of one "succeeds".
The anti-gun nuts will have to answer to the charge that they might be responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans (mostly women) who were brainwashed into believing that guns are evil. The anti-gun libs routinely accuse conservatives of killing countless innocent Americans by fostering a "gun culture" (in their words). I accuse liberals of killing thousands of Americans (especially women) by leaving them defenseless against murderers. Remember Richard Speck killed eight nurses with a butcher knife... not a gun.