Also, the woman's physical strength impacts the likelihood of the ex-husband attacking. Based on her assessments of the risk, the woman will decide whether the costs of a gun are worth it. The higher the price of the gun, the less likely is the woman to buy it. But failure to buy, of course, increases the woman's risk of being harmed or killed. We might also consider the risks of rape.
Some women face a greater risk of rape than others, though every woman faces some risk.
Again, the decision to purchase a gun will depend upon both the perceived risk of rape and the costs of a gun. The point is, any increase in the cost or hassle of buying a gun will affect the decisions of the marginal buyer. Because gun ownership helps protect lawful citizens against criminals, a decrease in the purchase of guns will lead to an increase in victimization. Criminals are not nearly as deterred by higher gun prices as are lawful citizens. For the lawful citizen, the use of a gun against a criminal is only a possible occurrence, not an expected one.