Guns and domestic violence: a dangerous combination for anyone

Photo credit: StatePoint

State Points

70. That’s the average number of women in the country who are shot and killed by their husbands or partners each month, according to an analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States, surpassing car accidents and cancer.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed that the government can still deny firearms to people subject to court-ordered domestic violence protection orders. “It was important to continue this commonsense safety measure that has kept our families and communities safe for decades,” said Esta Soler, founder and president of Futures Without Violence (FUTURES), a leading U.S. violence prevention organization. “But it just means we didn’t take a step back and make things even worse.”

Domestic violence is a serious, pervasive problem that becomes even more deadly when guns are present. Women who experience domestic violence are five times more likely to be killed by their male partners when there are firearms in the home. That’s why we need to take guns away from perpetrators, fast.

And what starts at home doesn’t stay at home. When domestic violence perpetrators have access to guns, communities become more dangerous. Multiple studies have found that the majority of mass shootings plaguing the United States are committed by shooters who have some connection to or a history of domestic violence.

“Gun violence is everywhere and it affects all of us,” Soler said. “We cannot continue as we are. We need to do more to prevent gun violence in our homes and communities, protect victims of domestic and sexual violence, and help those hurt by this violence heal.”

To do all of this, FUTURES works to educate judges about the importance of people who are the subject of restraining orders actually surrendering their firearms. Currently, some states and jurisdictions require abusers to provide evidence that they have relinquished their firearms, but most do not. Similarly, some judges require evidence, but most do not. Many experts would like to see legislators, law enforcement, and judges improve firearm surrender procedures to ensure compliance and take action when offenders do not surrender their firearms.

And FUTURES is calling on Congress to:

Close the so-called boyfriend (or dating) loophole in federal law to prevent dating partners (not just spouses) with restraining orders against them and people convicted of stalking from obtaining firearms. Commit more resources to support the recovery and healing of children and youth exposed to violence and trauma. Increase support for strategies proven to prevent domestic violence and gun violence in our communities and increase resources to deter future criminal behavior.

For more information about this initiative, please visit: www.futureswithoutviolence.org

“Guns and domestic violence are public health crises, but they are issues we can address,” Soler added. “These are steps that will make our homes and communities safer. We don’t have time to waste.”