GREENSBORO — Look around North Carolina. If you’re with a group of 
20 or more people, chances are one of them is carrying a handgun.
Since 1995, when the state gave the general public the right to carry concealed handguns, a half-million people exercised that right.
Much of this surge is among women, who make up 8 percent, or 36,667, of permit holders.
Why people want to carry concealed handguns varies, according to the State Bureau of Investigation. But for most women, carrying a handgun is a matter of personal safety.