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As others have mentioned, some folk opine that .22lr is a better caliber for defense than a .25ACP, due to the reduced frontal surface area, making it a better penetrator. Personally, I do not think I would ever carry something in that small of a caliber. as penetration and vital shots are much less likely than with larger common SD calibers. .380 is where I draw the line, and only as a backup weapon. In times of stress, it may be difficult to place a good enough shot to incapacitate someone, and repeated shots are more likely to be needed to stop a threat.

While a lot of people have been killed with .25 ACP rounds, the anecdotal evidence I have seen points to calculated criminal attacks where shot placement was easier to control. My mother was killed with a .25 ACP pistol, but it was execution-style with 6 rounds to the head. I don't have access to the autopsy reports (and haven't read them for myself), so I couldn't tell you whether it took multiple shots to be fatal or it was simply an emptying of the magazine that was cause for 6 rounds.

My advice is to talk it over with her about your concerns regarding the weak performance of the round, and let her decide on the pistol. Since this seems to be mainly a preference for comfort, perhaps some shopping around may necessary to find something in a caliber that performs better. The Taurus .25 pistols are quite compact, so you may be somewhat limited in what you can find that's small enough in a limited caliber. If you can find one, have her take a look at a Ruger LCP (or Kel-Tec P3AT, which is similar in size) and see what she thinks about it. I personally find the LCP to be pretty comfortable, even in my large hands, and the ergonomics of the grip are a considerable improvement from the P3AT. Something in .380 will give you considerably better ballistics than the .25 ACP (though you'll find people here who will dump all over it anyway, as it's not adequate enough in their opinions), and the market seems opening up considerably for these kinds of weapons. You're not likely to find something similar in size in any larger caliber except the Rohrbaugh, and even then the recoil is going to be stiff, and the gun would cost you well over a grand. If you can convince her to carry something a little larger in 9mm or better, that would be preferable, but that seems to be counter to what she is wanting. At any rate, carrying something is better than carrying nothing (IMO), but better firepower will help in the event that she has to defend herself. It's a good idea to let her make an informed choice for herself.