Hi John,

In March, as Washington began to shelter in place, a friend posted on Facebook that one positive trade-off of COVID-19 would be a dip in mass shootings. My immediate thought was: What about the increase of women and children shot in homes by an abusive partner with a gun?

The mere presence of a firearm in a home increases the risk of homicide for survivors of domestic violence by 400 percent. At the start of the pandemic, gun sales reached record highs across the country—a terrifying trend that has continued, even months into the crisis.

The current financial uncertainty, the stress of children attending school remotely, and the isolation caused by the COVID-19 crisis have compounded pressures, making abusive households into veritable minefields. Survivors are conscious that any misstep could set off an explosion.

I left my abusive partner 10 years ago and can’t imagine what it would be like to be shut up with him now, with no one able to come over and witness the holes in the wall, the doors off their hinges, the visible signs of one of his rages.

In May, I wrote an op-ed to draw attention to the challenges facing survivors of domestic violence during COVID-19. I’m sharing it with you now because October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and because four months later and seven months into the pandemic the challenges are only growing. I hope you’ll take a moment to read it. Now more than ever we must disarm DV.

Thank you,
Rebecca Houghton
Domestic Violence survivor
Alliance volunteer
Board member, LifeWire – Together Against Domestic Violence

P.S. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233 or texting LOVEIS to 22522.