Dear Women, Three Things to Consider Before Buying a Gun
Facts prove that guns don't make us safer. Here's why.
By: Caitlin Clarkson Pereira
As women, we know far too well that the world is a scary place.
Right now, it seems more terrifying than some of us ever imagined. With all the hateful rhetoric, it is only natural to plan ahead and think of ways to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.
Over the past few weeks, I have seen more social media comments about women buying and/or carrying a gun than I ever recall seeing before. There is no doubt why this is our initial reaction.
For decades, we have been taught by the gun lobby that guns make us safer. Their “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun” fallacy has been fed to us in news, entertainment, social media, and anywhere else this powerful lobby can gain influence.
But what if the facts about guns show us this is not the case? What if we know gun ownership actually does not make us safer? Because that is the cold, hard truth: guns do not make us safer.
Here’s why:
A gun in the home doubles your risk of homicide and triples your risk of suicide.
Women with access to firearms become homicide victims at significantly higher rates than men. The presence of a firearm in the home increases fivefold the risk that a woman will die at the hands of her intimate partner. Rates of firearm violence are even higher for women who experience additional forms of discrimination and injustice. Women who are non-white, disabled, transgender, and/or low-income are especially vulnerable to intimate partner violence and homicide. Black women are more likely than any other group of women in the U.S. to die from firearm wounds.
Intentions to use a gun in self defense are often not successful.
In a 2004 study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers interviewed 417 women across 67 battered women’s shelters. Nearly a third of these women had lived in a household with a firearm. In two-thirds of the homes, their intimate partners had used a gun against them, with 71.4% threatening to kill them. Only 7% of these women used a gun successfully in self-defense, primarily just to scare the attacking partner away.
Safely using a gun requires continuous training.
Regular training with your firearm is also essential, as well as learning de-escalation tactics. A gun is not a one-and-done purchase, but a lifelong commitment to responsibly understanding and mitigating risk. While these measures won’t eliminate the risk that comes with owning a firearm, they can help mitigate at least some of the danger.
It is important not to buy into the gun lobby’s fear-based narrative that a gun is your only means of self-defense. Whether it is a home security system, physical self-defense training specifically designed for women, obtaining a non-lethal weapon (while still following state laws on such implements), or just getting a dog — there are a multitude of resources and options to improve safety without incurring all the terrible risks of a firearm.
If you still feel a firearm is the best option for your specific concerns, there are crucial safety protocols to follow. Safe storage is paramount, especially if there are kids in the home. Further, knowing signs of emotional distress in yourself and loved ones can help prevent suicide and aid in the removal of lethal means such as firearms that enhance that risk.
When resident misogynist and proponent of rape culture Nick Fuentes says “your body, my choice,” the reaction of “my body, my Glock” is absolutely understandable. And I cast no judgment on the path you feel is best for you and your family. We can all have empathy, but the only person who knows exactly what it feels like to walk in your shoes is you.
But please, before taking any action, consider what will keep you in the “my body, my safety” territory.
Your fear is valid, but so is the danger of owning a firearm.
Caitlin Clarkson Pereira is the Executive Director at GVPedia.
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