On all 45, women expressed more concern about guns than men. On 41 of the 45 questions, the differences were statistically significant. Twenty-six percent of men, but 50 percent of women, for example, favored banning the possession of handguns, except for police and authorized personnel. 81 percent of women said handgun owners should be licensed and trained. Thirty-eight percent of men and 55 percent of women think homes are less safe if guns are present.
Men are much more likely than women to own guns.
The NORC survey reported that 42 percent of men and 10 percent of women personally own a handgun. The presence of children in a household has a limited impact on how Americans think about guns. The mid-April CBS News poll results were virtually identical. Fifty percent had a favorable opinion and 38 percent an unfavorable one. Around 60 percent in the 1999 and 2000 Gallup polls said laws covering the sale of firearms should be made more strict.