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Issues

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

What is the problem?

Domestic violence and gun violence are deeply interconnected, impacting millions of women, families, and communities across the U.S. Guns are more likely to turn abuse fatal.

In the U.S., the crisis of domestic violence is closely linked to the widespread and growing use of guns by abusers. Two-thirds of women killed by an intimate partner are killed with a gun. Existing loopholes in federal and state law allow access to guns by abusive partners and stalkers, often with deadly results. Common-sense laws that keep guns out of the hands of abusive partners can reduce gun violence and domestic violence.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7, for confidential assistance from a trained advocate. You can also find more resources on legal assistance in English and Spanish at WomensLaw.org.

Why is it an issue?

Guns can turn domestic violence deadly.

Abusers use guns to threaten and control victims. These threats often escalate to murder. Every month, an average of 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner and nearly 1 million women alive today have reported being shot or shot at by intimate partners. The ripple effects of guns in the hands of an abuser extend far beyond the intimate relationship. This affects children, family members, coworkers, and the law enforcement officers who respond to it. The deadly intersection of guns and domestic violence has a disproportionate impact on Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Latina women. Research clearly shows that federal and state policies and practices that disrupt abusers’ access to guns can save lives.

By the numbers

What are the solutions?

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Domestic Violence

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