To .380 or Not to .380, that is the question
I own a Karh P380 and like it. It's recoil is light and I thought it would be the ideal training gun to wean my daughter off of our Walther P22 (22LR) pistol.
The two best .380acp firearms I have heard as far as trigger, comfort, etc are the Sig P238 and the Karh P380. There are advantages to both and you can argue both ways on whether you like a DAO (Kahr) or the cocked & locked with thumb safety (Sig). Since many like the 1911 platform (me included) the Sig is a great gun that is basically a mini 1911 (functionally, don't know about physically). Some would argue that the thumb safety is something they don't want to have to remember to use during a life or death incident but training with whatever gun you purchase should lessen that argument.
Again, I bought the kahr mainly for my daughter to learn on and in the future she may carry it. I won't. I believe the .380 cartridge is underwhelming (although I don't want to volunteer to stand in front of one). If that caliber/cartridge is all your wife can handle or shoot accurately then it is best for her. If she can handle 9mm, 40S&W, .357magnum, or .45acp go for it.
There are many good compact 9mm guns out there now with many new ones. Sig just released the P938 which is a very similar gun to their P238 but chambered in 9mm.
http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProductDetails/p938-blackwood.aspx
Kahr also makes several 9mm pistols PM9 is a great gun. Keltec, Ruger, Berretta, Smith & Wesson all have jumped on the bandwagon and have a small 9mm gun. The S&W M&P Shield looks interesting too.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=286041230
So there are many other choices in .380 and 9mm. The 9mm guns would be my direction to look at but the Sig is a quality gun and if "she" likes it then it is something she will train with and feel comfortable carrying.