Depends on what kind of signal pistol....
That’s what I was thinking when they said “signal pistol”. A flare will discourage a rapist.
I dunno, maybe it's because I'm old, but when I hear stuff like "the Germans are arming themselves" I get this little tingle. My late Dad had two Purple Hearts courtesy of the Wehrmacht and what he had to say about it was, "Son, you don't know what war is until you've fought the Germans." Number me not among the "German men have been emasculated" brigade, for I have been taught otherwise by someone who knew.
I have a half dozen of those around somewhere. Shot a few for testing purposes. They’d sure cool the ardor of a crowd of Orcs.
L