Guns are behind many U.S. domestic violence fatalities

On behalf of Johnson, Sclafani & Moriarty, Attorneys at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

As law enforcement officials have tried to make sense of the numerous mass shootings we’ve had in this country in recent years, they’ve found a common trait among many of the gunman — a history of domestic violence.

The killers responsible for multiple deaths in San Bernardino, Orlando, Las Vegas and, most recently, Sutherland Springs, all had been violent toward women and other family members in their lives. In fact in over half of fatal mass shootings (those where at least four people are killed), one of the victims is a family member or partner of the shooter.

Women are more likely to be the victims of domestic violence than men. In fact, among women from 18 to 44, homicide is the fifth most common cause of death. Almost half (45 percent) of women murdered in this country die at the hands of their husband or other intimate partner.

Gun violence is far more prevalent in the United States than in other developed countries, and women bear the brunt of much of that violence. A woman in the U.S. has a 16-times greater chance of suffering a fatal gunshot wound than in a woman in one of those other nations.

The number of women shot to death by their partners is disturbing. However, far more say that their partner has threatened them with a gun (some 4.5 million according to one study).

If you have been threatened or harmed by a husband or partner, it’s essential to takes steps to protect yourself, your children and others in your family. First, it’s important to get to safety. Then a Massachusetts attorney can help you get a protective order and take other steps to keep that person away from you.

Source: Fortune, “5 Statistics That Explain the Link Between Domestic Violence and Mass Shootings,” Valentina Zarya, accessed Nov. 29, 2017