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ALBANY, GA. -- Back in June FOX 31 reported that requests for concealed weapon permits amongst women in southwest Georgia were up. Authorities say women are feeling the need to protect themselves, but are they taking the classes to get educated? According to gun safety instructors, the answer is yes.

Lee and Dougherty County officials say gun classes are filled and still growing. Both men and women attend, but the number of women have soared over the past couple months.

Folks at the Lee County Sheriff's Department say they have so many people who want to get educated on gun safety, that there's a waiting list. The captain who schedules the program says he understands their concern.

“Women a lot of times are by their self or out in their vehicle or shopping or whatever and they need some kind of protection with them,” said Lee County Sheriff’s Department Captain Keith Houston.

They say the women may come in with fear, but they leave with confidence. Experts say it's good for a woman to come in with her own weapon, but it's not a prerequisite.

“We've had some women to come in and take the class that's never picked up a weapon before,” said Captain Houston.

And he says that's the purpose of the classes, eliminating fears and distinguishing myths. The gun instructor at Solo Archery on Philema Road in Lee County says the classes also help women become educated buyers.

“Training is the most important thing that you can do with a firearm and I think you need training before you make a purchase simply because you don't want to go out and make a six hundred dollar error in judgment,” said Master Gunnery Sergeant Philip Colson.

Gun professionals say they see women come in with everything from revolvers to glocks. They say the women come in prepared to shoot.

According to professionals, the classes give women the full scope of gun handling as far as loading and unloading a pistol, to firing the weapon. They also encourage women to step outside of the mindset of using a so called “girly gun.”

“A lady can shoot any gun that she makes up in her mind that she wants to shoot,” said Solo Archery Gun Safety Instructor Philip Colson.

Whether women use a small or large weapon, he says as the number of requests for concealed weapon permits grows among women, more classes will be needed and he will be there to offer.

Classes offered by the Lee County Sheriff's Department are free to attend. So are the courses at Solo Archery. However, people do have to pay a fee of $10 to use the shooting range.