If you freeze or panic and get the gun out, but then can't pull the trigger... guess what? You've just put another advantage (and weapon) into your attackers hands, because as soon as they overpower you, that gun is theirs. I'm sure that the whole overpowering thing would be less likely to happen to a man then it would be for a woman...
This gets back to what I've been trying to emphasize on this gun carrying mania. One of the reasons that I'm incredibly uneasy with all these guns out there is the poor level of training required for even a CCW in California. It's not just about basic safety (don't clean a loaded weapon) and it is definitely not just about hitting a target with a score of xx. We no longer train with a numbered scoring system, so the emphasis is not on your score, but firing quickly and accurately into the center of mass to stop the threat.
SoCalGirl is right, it's also about weapon retention (forgotten the number, but a significant number of trained officers are shot with their own weapons); deciding when to shoot or not shoot; understanding lethal force; when to use a secondary weapon when lethal force is not justified; how to shoot quickly and accurately in an adrenaline situation. Most police shootings happen within about a 5 foot distance and are over in 3 (!!) seconds (should be verified, but I think that's from FBI stats). One study found the best trained officers in daylight conditions hit the person with about 65% of rounds fired. That's officers who probably train several times a year in tactical scenarios, not standing on a range firing at a stationary paper target. Other studies have shown hit ratios in the 15% range.
And then, yes, the psychological part of shooting. You have to be absolutely prepared to instantly recognize the situations where lethal force is necessary and justified; draw, aim and shoot. That's less than a second.
If people feel the need for a weapon, take a close look at Tasers. The new civilian models are made to go long enough for you to drop it (still active) on the ground and run away. The C3 is small and lightweight and comes in a variety of complimentary colors.
g.
