A close acquaintance endured years of harassment from a stalker while living alone, leaving her in constant fear for her safety. When traditional measures such as restraining orders fell short, she turned to a firearm. While she never had to use it, the mere presence of the gun provided her with a sense of security.
I openly admit my aversion to firearms; however, I can empathize with her decision. Everyone deserves to feel secure in their own home. Nevertheless, it is crucial to understand the associated dangers. Research indicates that having a gun in the home does not necessarily increase safety. In fact, the reality is that the presence of a firearm elevates the risk for everyone in the household, as well as visitors — and the increase is significant. Statistically, it is far more likely for someone in the home to be injured or killed by the gun intended for protection than to successfully use it in a defensive situation.
Approximately 67% of Americans cite “protection” as the main reason for gun ownership. Yet, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, having a firearm at home correlates with a 40% to 170% higher risk of homicide and a staggering 90% to 460% increased risk of suicide. Adults in households with guns face a 3.7 times greater chance of dying from accidental shootings compared to those living without firearms.
Research analyzing fatal and non-fatal shootings across several cities revealed that for every instance a gun was used defensively, there were four unintentional shootings, seven criminal assaults or homicides, and eleven attempted or completed suicides. To put it bluntly, for every one occasion a gun provided protection, there were 22 unrelated incidents resulting in tragedy.
Gun culture in the United States has led to a troubling disregard for the lethal nature of these weapons. With more firearms than people in the country, we often handle them carelessly. Approximately 40% of Americans either own a gun or live in a household with one, and 38% of that demographic report that a loaded gun is readily accessible at all times.
Startlingly, in homes with children under 18, one in three has a firearm, and an alarming 43% of those admit their weapon is both unlocked and loaded. This is unacceptable. It is tragic that preventable shootings occur daily due to firearms that are not safely secured.
Consider the heartbreaking story of the Johnson family, who lost their 3-year-old son, Liam, in a preventable shooting. His father, an active-duty officer, left a loaded gun on a table, thinking it was out of reach. In mere moments, Liam grabbed the firearm and accidentally shot himself.
Similarly, this past April, 6-year-old Ella Thompson was tragically killed when her younger brother discovered their mother’s loaded gun and accidentally shot her. In another incident, a pregnant woman in Skyway, Washington, was shot by her 4-year-old son who found a loaded gun hidden under the bed. Such preventable tragedies occur with alarming frequency, yet they often elicit little more than a collective sigh of resignation as if they are an inevitable cost of freedom.
Some gun owners may argue that such incidents could never happen to them, that they take every precaution. Yet, all the families affected by these tragedies likely held the same belief before their lives were irrevocably changed.
Simply put, owning a gun does not make you safer. If you feel it is absolutely necessary to have a firearm at home for protection, it is critical to store it securely — locked away and unloaded, with ammunition stored separately. Additionally, taking a gun safety course is essential to maintaining proper shooting skills.
However, the safest option for your family, according to the statistics, is to forgo having a gun altogether. For more insights on related topics, you can explore this resource on pregnancy and home insemination or check out Intracervical Insemination’s guidelines for authority on the subject. For additional information, Facts About Fertility is an excellent resource.
In summary, while the desire for safety is understandable, the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that having a gun in the home is more likely to increase danger than to provide protection. Taking steps to ensure safety without a firearm is the statistically wiser choice.