There's plenty of studies and polls showing that women get into guns more for "protection" than sport or hunting. I just posted an article about that earlier today. Here's another one (though from a few years back, so numbers have probably skewed higher already). https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2013/0214/Why-gun-ownership-among-US-women-is-climbing
Here's the money quote IMO:
But personal safety is the overriding reason women become interested in guns, at least initially, experts agree.
“Women typically own guns for safety reasons, then branch out to target shooting and hunting,” says NRA spokeswoman Stephanie Samford. “Men, on the other hand, get into guns for hunting. Safety is a secondary concern.”
Paxton Quigley, the author of women’s self-defense and gun books, says broad lifestyle changes – women waiting longer to get married, choosing to live alone, and more often serving as head of household – coincides with women’s rising interest in guns.
“There is a different attitude now, that women need to take responsibility for their own safety,” she says.
That part in boldface... that's always been my theory of why women are getting more into shooting. Demographics are changing. Single women are statistically much more likely than single men to buy a single-family home for instance... well, if you're going to buy your own castle, why wouldn't you protect it?... and its inhabitants? And women know that if someone breaks into their house, it's most likely going to be a guy --- bigger, taller, heavier, stronger. You're physically outmatched. That's just harsh reality. A woman's experience/attitude about personal security is COMPLETELY different than a guy's! If I (or any of my girlfriend's) are leaving the mall late at night, we are keenly aware if there's a rundown old van parked RIGHT next to our car. Wheels in the brain are spinning, we're calculating risk, figuring how best to approach the situation, etc. And hell, I'm a lifelong risk-taker, and even I'm leery of that situation! Most guys I know wouldn't think TWICE --- they wouldn't even notice the van any more than a motorcycle. Another example... the first thing my single girlfriends do when they move into a new house? New locks and motion detector lights! My single guy friends --- it wouldn't even occur to them! They are either more confident that they won't get jumped - or - if they did, that they could fend off an attacker.
Yeah, you're wrong on your loose statistic. Even 3 or 4 years ago, apparently 15% of gun owners were women. Not a huge number, but a lot bigger than 4% --- and it's probably even higher now.
1) For god's sake, we even go to the bathroom in packs! Women are social creatures.
2) Ranges are still testosterone-filled places that some women might find intimidating... a woman in a range is greatly outnumbered. A chicks class is probably more comfortable for many.
3) On a practical note, for places like Pennsylvania with concealed carry, how utterly ridiculous does a male instructor look "demonstrating" a concealed carry purse to the students?... or worse yet, one of those bra holsters?! LOL.