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GUNS AND COVID-19
As the world faces the COVID-19 public health emergency, America is still grappling with another public health crisis: gun violence.
Gun violence and the COVID-19 pandemic are inextricably linked. As Americans are asked to stay home, many might be in closer proximity to guns for longer periods of time. This is a concern because even under normal circumstances, guns do not make us safer. Guns do not make us more secure. Guns do not improve the health of the general public. In fact, guns in the home are more likely to be used in an unintentional shooting, a suicide attempt, or an assault than they are to be used for self-defense.
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Firearm Suicide and COVID-19: Mitigating Risk During a Pandemic
We are living in unprecedented times. Today Americans are under a cloud of uncertainty and stress as we live through the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven out of ten Americans report their lives have been disrupted "a lot" or "some" by the coronavirus outbreak. People are suddenly isolated by physical distancing practices and quarantines, which may lead to loneliness, economic uncertainty, escalating stress and distress, and risky alcohol use -- all of which are risk factors for suicide. As our world faces one public health emergency in COVID-19, we know that firearm suicide remains its own public health crisis -- which could be exacerbated by COVID-19.
The following memo outlines what the current research says about the risk factors for suicide that may become more prevalent during COVID-19 and share the interventions available to help mitigate that risk.
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STATEMENTS & PRESS RELEASES
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The Insurrectionist Idea: Trump is Inciting Violence in Virginia, Elsewhere
(April 17, 2020) "This morning, the president endangered the lives and safety of officials in Virginia. His call to "Liberate Virginia" is a call to violence -- make no mistake about it. These armed demonstrations calling on states to reopen are being organized by local militia groups with little regard for the rule of law or public safety. These mobs are trying to bully and intimidate state governments to reopen prematurely and endanger the lives of their citizens, all to help the president's re-election effort. This is the insurrectionist idea."
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Firearm Suicide: The Epidemic Within the Pandemic
(April 15, 2020) While COVID-19 is currently the most pressing public health emergency facing the nation, firearm suicide is an ongoing public health crisis that is exacerbated by COVID-19 and this time of self-quarantine. Even before this pandemic, firearm suicide was already at an all-time high; in 2018, the number of gun suicides surpassed 24,000 for the first time ever.
During this period, the work to address firearm suicide is more essential than ever. Today, the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence released a new report entitled, "Firearm Suicide: Mitigating Risk During a Pandemic," which outlines our four step solution to prevent firearm suicide. The following outlines the steps discussed in the report. This information and the full report can be found at PreventFirearmSuicide.com.
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Victory in Virginia: Governor Northam Signs Gun Violence Prevention Bills
(April 10, 2020) "In the past decade, the politics around gun violence prevention have changed. Virginia should be seen as a microcosm of that change and an example of what is possible. We at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence are proud to be a part of this change and are thrilled to see the most substantial set of gun violence prevention laws in Virginia's history become law. Thank you to Governor Northam, Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran, and all the officials and their staff at the General Assembly who made this day possible."
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NRA in Turmoil: Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Responds to Layoffs at National Rifle Association
(April 8, 2020) "The NRA has been as reckless with their assets as they have been with the safety of the American people. As the nation was told to stay home in recent weeks, the NRA wanted people to go out and purchase weapons, despite evidence that shows firearms make their homes less safe. This is the type of money-grubbing behavior that we've come to expect from this once influential organization...Americans of all political backgrounds should recognize that our nation and our politics would be safer without the type of toxicity that has been promoted by this organization."
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COVID-19 and Guns: Guns Don't Make You Safer
(April 2, 2020) "As the world faces the COVID-19 public health emergency, America is still grappling with another public health crisis: gun violence. Gun violence and the COVID-19 pandemic are inextricably linked. As Americans are asked to stay home, many might be in closer proximity to guns for longer periods of time. This is a concern because even under normal circumstances, guns in the home are dangerous."
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COVID-19 & Gun Violence: Impacted Communities
Just as gun violence disproportionately impacts communities and people of color, we are seeing these same communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 due to health inequities. We know that the social determinants of health that perpetuate gun violence will be exacerbated by the COVID-19 epidemic and -- because of this -- communities of color will continue to be adversely impacted.
On April 20th, our Community Engagement Coordinator Lauren Footman and Executive Director Josh Horwitz moderated a Zoom webinar discussion with experts Dr. Devin Horton, Dr. Shani Buggs, and Dr. Keisha Pollack Porter to discuss these impacts.
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Watch the full Zoom Webinar Discussion here:
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Virginia's new gun restrictions have been 13 years in the making, Virginia State Director Lori Haas featured in Virginia Mercury
"The journey I've been on since April 16, 2007, has been one of grief and heartbreak, painstaking hard work, setbacks and failures, small wins and changing hearts and minds. I've been honored to work alongside some of the most dedicated advocates and public servants. I've told my story more times than I can count -- and today, 13 years after the massacre at Virginia Tech -- I'd like to think we have honored those who were murdered that day by enacting real, commonsense gun laws that will save lives."
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Daily Bulletin: How Will COVID-19 Affect the Supreme Court's Next Gun Case?, The Trace
Preventing the deadly mix of suicide and guns. A new report from the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence recommends four solutions to stem what it describes as a heightened risk during the pandemic: Safe gun storage; professionals asking about firearms; having gun dealers be a resource for suicide prevention; and states that have red flag laws providing guidance and public awareness on how they can temporarily disarm a gun owner deemed to be a threat to themselves. (If you or someone you know is in crisis, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day: 1-800-273-8255.)
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Shootings Continue, Other Crimes Down Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, WHRO Public Media
Lori Haas is a senior director of advocacy for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and works with grassroots efforts to prevent gun violence in Virginia. She said she's not surprised shootings have continued amid the pandemic. The root of many shootings is in socioeconomic inequities, she said. The coronavirus does not change the reality that many people live in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
"Disparities in housing. Disparities in education. More exposure, more risk of gun violence," she said. "Mitigating these risk factors is absolutely necessary to do more." Haas added it doesn't help that guns remain widely available for people in Virginia. She praised the Virginia General Assembly for recently passing new gun regulations including expanded background checks and a limit on handgun purchases per month. The state will also fund intervention programs meant to reduce gun violence in specific communities. "Hopefully, we'll begin to see a difference," Haas said.
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Virginia Gun Rights Groups Say Virus Restrictions Go Too Far, Courthouse News Service
Owning a gun doesn't make anyone safer, says Lori Haas, Virginia state director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. "They increase the risk of suicide. They increase the risk of assault and homicide. They increase the lethality in domestic violence situations," she said.
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Gun makers and sellers on list of 'essential businesses' amid coronavirus pandemic, Nation of Change
"Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential. Guns are not essential." The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence tweeted.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES DURING COVID-19
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