British Gun Control Doesn’t Work: Armed Intruders Break in and Rape a Pregnant Woman

A truly terrible case from England shows both the futility of gun control, and the terrible things that can happen to unarmed victims:

A 33 year old British woman was 7 months pregnant.  She was at home with her 39 year old boyfriend watching TV at 10:30PM when they heard a noise outside.  The boyfriend stepped out the front door to investigate, and saw 3 masked men standing outside.  He tried to close the door, but the masked intruders rushed inside, pushing him to the floor.  One of the intruders held a shotgun to his head, while the others demanded the keys to the couple’s Audi parked outside.  One of the criminals then began dragging the pregnant woman upstairs as the boyfriend begged them not to hurt her, while repeatedly shouting that she was pregnant.  The boyfriend was hit with the butt of the shotgun for speaking up, while the pregnant woman was taken upstairs.  The criminal said that unless the woman complied, both she and her boyfriend would be shot.  The woman was then raped, and told by the rapist that it was her “lucky day.” The criminals then stole cash and belongings from the couple, before leaving in their Audi.  All this took place on May 14, 2008, although the attack was just recently mentioned in the news. Police have some rather poor quality images of the suspected attackers from a nearby surveillance camera, but no arrests have been made.  The baby was later born in good health, but the woman made clear that the attack has forever changed her life, saying “Everything that you believe to be safe is no longer safe. You can’t walk into the bedroom and feel relaxed because you remember that someone was in there who wasn’t supposed to be in there.”

This is not the first time that British gun control has failed in a rather spectacular fashion. Indeed, whether we’re talking about the UK, or US cities like Chicago, guns bans fail to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.  That is because criminals who want guns will get them, just as they are able to get illegal drugs and other contraband on the black market.  For such criminals, gun control laws are just another law for them to break – and a person willing to commit a  more serious crime like robbery or rape won’t think twice about violating the gun ban.  That is why instead of decreasing, gun related crime actually rose in the UK after the gun ban was passed. When gun bans pass, criminals become emboldened by their monopoly on guns, and go about using those guns  against their now-disarmed victims.  Interestingly enough, knife related crime also tends to rise after guns are banned, as it did in the UK, possibly because the emboldened knife-wielding criminals are also less afraid that their victim may have a self defense gun. This and the many other cases, where British citizens are left defenseless against violent criminals, really show the folly of strict gun control.  The message to take to heart is that gun bans don’t prevent violence, since violence is caused by the intentional actions of a criminal – not the presence of an inanimate object.  Denying law abiding citizens the right to have a gun for self defense only ensures that the law abiding members of society will be unarmed when those violent criminals attack, and that those few citizens who do defend themselves will be sent to jail.

After reading this tragic story, I mentioned to my fiancé that I am so glad we live in the USA, and in a state that respects our right to gun ownership for self defense.  She whole-heartedly agreed.  We’ve set our wedding date for October 16, 2010, and we plan to have our first child about a year or so after getting married.  Although that is still a ways in the future, I couldn’t help thinking about what it would be like to suffer this sort of home invasion, and to stand by helplessly while the mother of one’s unborn child is raped.  My fiancé similarly mentioned how terrible it must be to not only suffer rape, but also be in fear for the safety of your unborn child at the same time.   As sad as those thoughts are, I am comforted by the fact that as I write this article, a Springfield XD-40 sits just inches away from me in a quick-access safe, providing me with the ability to stop multiple home invaders should they break in.  In the next room over sits my large gun safe, a few feet from my fiancé’s computer, and unlocked since we are at home.  In the event of a home invasion, she too would quickly be able to grab one of several firearms suitable for self defense.  Since both of us regularly visit our local gun range to maintain and improve our marksmanship skills, I’m confident that either of us could skillfully use those gun in self defense.  While I can’t guarantee that we would prevail in every single conceivable home invasion scenario, I know that we are in the best possible position to defend ourselves, should the need arise.

As both the statistical evidence and real life examples make clear, armed self defense works.  It allows pregnant women, the elderly, the disabled, and all other types of citizens to save themselves from physically stronger and/or numerically superior attackers.  Sticking with the example of pregnant women defending themselves against home invaders, I would also note this other real life case, from just a couple weeks ago, where a pregnant woman held an armed home invader at gunpoint until the police arrived.  Not only do armed citizens save themselves, but they also deter some criminals while taking other criminals off the streets before they can harm another victim.

I would encourage everyone reading this article to take a moment to think whether they would be able to defend themselves and their loved ones, should the need arise.  If the answer to that question is “no,” then I would suggest promptly redressing that situation.