Impact of Gun Violence on Historically Marginalized Communities
Impact of Gun Violence on Historically Marginalized Communities
What is the problem?
Gun violence affects every person in America, but the weight of this crisis is not felt equally across demographic groups.
Inequities in systems such as those in our justice, health, housing, and education institutions, along with generations of discrimination and disinvestment in certain communities, have exacerbated the gun violence crisis in a way that disproportionately impacts historically marginalized communities, including racial and ethnic groups, women, and LGBTQ+ people.
What are the solutions?
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Violence Intervention Programs
Violence intervention programs provide evidence and community-informed, comprehensive support to individuals who are at greatest risk of gunshot victimization. These programs are shown to reduce gunshot wounds and deaths in the neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence.
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Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Funding
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) victim assistance funds are federal funds that can be used to support services for victims and survivors of gun violence. Many of the services eligible for VOCA victim assistance funds are already being provided by gun violence intervention programs, such as street outreach and hospital-based violence intervention programs. VOCA victim assistance grants should be used to help reduce gun violence and support gun violence survivors.
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Repeal Shoot First Laws
Shoot First, also known as Stand Your Ground, laws allow a person to shoot and kill another person in a public area even when there are clear and safe ways to retreat from a dangerous situation. These laws threaten public safety by encouraging armed vigilantism.
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Disarm Hate
Guns and hate are a fatal combination. In an average year, more than 25,000 hate crimes in the US involve a firearm—69 a day. In parts of the US, some people convicted of hate crimes can still legally buy and have guns. Congress and state legislatures should pass laws that keep guns out of the hands of those who have been convicted of hate crimes.
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Prohibit People With Dangerous Histories From Having Guns
People with dangerous histories should be prohibited from having guns. Federal law prohibits gun possession by certain categories of people. States also set standards for who is too dangerous to have guns. People prohibited by federal or state law will fail a background check if they try to buy a gun from a licensed dealer.
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Extreme Risk Laws
When a person is in crisis and considering harming themselves or others, family members and law enforcement are often the first people to see the warning signs. Extreme Risk laws, sometimes referred to as “Red Flag” laws, allow loved ones or law enforcement to intervene by petitioning a court for an order to temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing guns.
Featured Resources
How Guns Fuel Violence Against Transgender People in America
Black trans women are bearing the brunt of a crisis of gun violence, often at the hands of perpetrators who are prohibited from owning guns.
The Impact of Gun Violence on Latinx Communities
Latinx people in the United States are dying from gun violence every day and at rates disproportionate to their white peers.
Invisible Wounds: Gun Violence and Community Trauma among Black Americans
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Guns and Violence Against Women: America’s Uniquely Lethal Intimate Partner Violence Problem
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Impact of Gun Violence on Historically Marginalized Communities
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Creating alternative dispatch options that connect people in crisis with mental health services is key in preventing police gun violence.
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