Your OOS is others’ instate. Tell your mom there will be plenty of instate freshmen women where you will be going. They will be coming from many places outside of the college town. You will be no more/less safe than if you came from that state. Distance from home will not make you any more/less safe.
Too late to give up on your preferred schools to apply to any who still accept applications since your choices are likely a better fit for you (or you would have applied to those schools last fall). Your mom had her chance- last fall.
I suspect reality is hitting her. Her baby girl is leaving home for the dangerous world. Plan on a school you have been admitted to. Go ahead and finalize your college plans with one of the two you are already admitted to. If both are equally favorable in your eyes let your mom help you choose among them to give her a voice. Perhaps discussing the reasons for choosing each school- with an emphasis on the academic programs good for your plans will help.
I must admit we did not mention the U of Chicago to our son when he was considering colleges. We were leery of the bad neighborhoods surrounding it knowing our young (16 when he started college) son was a distance runner likely to ignore safety admonitions. He went instate to a large flagship known for partying- and did well. Some parents feared that school for its reputation. Every school will have its detractors for some issue.