Violence Prevention and Gun Safety

• In the year 2000, an estimated 1,800 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for unintentional firearm-related injuries.
• The FBI's Crime in the United States estimated that 66% of the 15,517 murders in the year 2000 were committed with firearms.

Who is most likely to incur this type of injury?

• A woman is far more likely to be killed by her husband, an intimate acquaintance, or a family member than by a stranger or an unidentified intruder.
• In the year 1999, 88 children ages 14 and under died from unintentional firearm-related injuries.
• Boys are far more likely to be injured and die from firearm-related incidents than girls. Nearly 80% of victims are male.
• Homicide is the second leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds overall. In this age group, it is the leading cause of death for African Americans.
• Suicide is now the 4th leading cause of death in women ages 15 to 24, 58% of these deaths are firearm-related.

PREVENTION TIPS
Talking with Young Children:

• Explain to children that guns are dangerous and that children should never touch guns or remain in a friend's home where a gun is accessible.
• Tell a child that gun violence in the media is not real - in real life, children are injured and killed by guns.

Talking with Teens:

• Look for signs that point to suicide including:
• A past attempt
• Family history of suicide
• Drug abuse
• Depression
• Past abuse or a trauma
• Talk with your teenager about his/her thoughts and feelings; depressed teens commit suicide with guns more often than by any other method.
• Talk with your teen about ways to solve arguments and fights without guns or violence.

If you own a gun:

• Remember, young children are curious by nature and eagerly explore their environments.
• Even the best-behaved teenagers don't always follow the rules. Pre-teens and teens are often attracted to guns and sometimes see them as symbols of power.

Police recommend the following safety steps if you have a gun:

• Always keep your gun unloaded and locked up. Lock and store bullets in a separate location.
• The best way to reduce gun risks is to remove the gun from your home.

STILL NOT CONVINCED?
Fifty percent of unintentional shootings occur in the home and 40% occur in a friend or family member's household. Gun owners can decrease the associated risks by adequately locking the unloaded gun and ammunition in separate locations. Remember, children as young as three have the ability to shoot a gun, but lack the knowledge of its consequences. Firearm injuries are easily preventable. Don't spend your life mourning the loss of a loved one over an incident that could have been prevented. Take the proper gun safety precautions to protect your family and friends.

SOURCES: On the Facts and Prevention Tips section click on Firearm Safety.