If you're talking about specifically
inside your house, like maybe a nightstand weapon, I would suggest something like this...
http://www.taurususa.com/product-det...egory=Revolver
Taurus Judge.
It can shoot a .45 or a 410 shotgun shell. With the 410, you've got serious close quarters hit, but it's not gonna travel all throught the house and hurt your family. Easy for your wife/gf to learn and with a shotgun pattern out of a pistol, they don't have to be super accurate in a high stress moment. You gotta think about how far the bullet will go through thin azz sheetrock (even a 9mm).
Now if you're talkin about a carry weapon for any situation, I like larger caliber. I want immeadiate nuetralization of the threat. I want to stop the danger permanently.
Jeff-