What the rabbid anti-guns conveniently forget to mention is that gun are used (from the top of my head) over 2.5 million times in the US to DETER crime, and in 98% of the case, the gun is never fired, and leads to no police report, therefore does not enter the police statistics.
Erika, I suggest you learn martial arts.
Try
http://www.martial-way.com/
Martial-Way.com : the martial arts portal
for a good description of various martial arts.
Aikido, Aiki-jutsu, American Kempo, and a few other martial arts are operational for self defense.
Kicks (karate) are not very practical in a street fight, some punches and grips are, and moves from aikido/jutsu, I am told.
I am in no way knowledgeable about it, I'm just repeating what I've read and what advanced practitioners told me.
Read the bunch of descriptions, and find the one that are taught to police forces in various countries of the world.
These will help you.
Also Krav Maga
Krav Maga is the official system of defensive tactics, hand-to-hand combat and self-defense employed by the Israeli defense and security forces, the Israeli national and military police, and its special operations and anti-terrorist units.
Then, Kendo or Kumdo
Find some operational martial art, not a competition one, and learn it. It will give you self-confidence and lower the fear factor.
And remember: when some right-handed guy pulls a handgun trigger, if nervous, 95% of the time, he'll jerk the trigger and shoot too much to the right (reverse for a left-handed shooter), if you *must* make a move to save your life, do it in the direction of the attacker's hand that does not hold the gun. (valid for right or left handed shooter). In short, the shooter will always tend to shoot too much outside.
Of course, such a move must be followed by a blow to the gun hand. Learn self defense.
Find a guy who was in the commando and who'd teach you.
I know a very good guy in Dawson Creek, an ex-paratrooper, he's a tad far from you, but he might know someone in your area.