Unlike most Brits or liberals I’m OK with the idea of gun ownership. But carrying one for protection has a limited application. The MO of muggers is to approach their victim by stealth and then grab them in an armlock or headlock, or corner them with only a few inches of space. The victim doesn’t get a chance to pull out a gun, and if the victim happens to be carrying, the mugger gets the gun. Let’s face it, attackers don’t want the victim screaming, or having a chance to get away, do they? Never mind pull out a gun. The idea of carrying a gun for protection works much better when said gun is a revolver in .44 Magnum and said predator has a name like ‘Bart’ or ‘Ursula’.
As for rapists, ‘stranger rape’ is a thing but most rapes happen after the rapist has used some pretence to get the victim alone with him. Maybe if a dinner date went badly, the woman in question simply didn’t trust the man to walk her back to her car? Statistically she’s more likely to be raped by the date than by some loony who pops up out of nowhere!