While victims face multiple offenders in only about 24% of all violent crimes, [93] the victims in our sample who used guns faced multiple offenders in 53% of the incidents. [94] This mirrors the observation that criminals who use guns are also more likely than unarmed criminals to face multiple victims. [95] A gun allows either criminals or victims to handle a larger number of adversaries. Many victims facing multiple offenders probably would not resist at all if they were without a gun or some other weapon. Another possible interpretation is that some victims will resort to a defensive measure as serious as wielding a gun only if they face the most desperate circumstances. Again, this finding contradicts a view that gun defenders face easier circumstances than other crime victims.

Lots of interesting, peer-reviewed facts ...

(via Examiner.com)