Introduction
Gun violence is becoming one of the most disturbing problems in modern society as it poses a significant threat to people and their well-being. The criticality of this issue is primarily attributed to an increase in the threat to people’s lives, which necessitates the introduction of policies and strategies that will contribute to its limitation. We, as citizens of the country with the rising issue of gun control violence, have a responsibility to contribute to the fight against armed violence through the dissemination of awareness and support for violence prevention programs.
Statistics
First, statistical data must be referred to in order to understand the problem of armed violence fully. Research shows that “In 2021, 54% of all gun-related deaths in the U.S. were suicides, while 43% were murdered, remaining gun deaths that year were accidental, involved law enforcement or had undetermined circumstances” (Gramlich, 2023, para. 4). This information causes particularly significant concerns as it includes various kinds of circumstances from which no one can be protected. This is mainly because there are legislative gaps in which weapons can be sold in an underground way, and individuals with mental disorders can acquire them (Weigend Vargas et al., 2021).
Statistics also provide information that “in 2022, about 45 percent of U.S. households had at least one gun in their possession” (Statista Research Department, 2023, para. 1). The fact that almost half of the residents have at least one gun in their home makes it necessary to spread awareness about the dangers of these items.
Social Movements to Combat the Issue
Raising Awareness
Even though legislative and governmental acts prevent armed violence, we, as citizens of this country, can also take action to motivate these initiatives. Hence, one of the essential aspects is disseminating awareness and education about the dangers of owning a gun. Research showed that “in October 2021, Americans’ support for stricter gun control fell five percentage points from October 2020 to 52%, the lowest since 2014” (Brenan, 2022, para. 6). This shows that citizens should spread as much knowledge as possible among loved ones and communities regarding the harmfulness of having guns and the harm it can do to them and future generations.
Strengthening Ownership Control
As a citizen of the United States of America, I have seen from my own experience what danger a lack of control regarding gun violence can have. I have met many people who told me how their relatives or acquaintances were victims of armed crimes or encountered people who, due to their psychological state, should not have had weapons at their disposal. Considering this problem from a future perspective, we can conclude that society will be in great danger. Insufficiently effective control of gun ownership and violence can lead to an increase in deaths and injuries from armed attacks. The fear that this kind of circumstance may arise causes a strong desire to motivate people to pay attention to this problem in the United States.
Preventing Violence
Another initiative that can contribute to changing the situation is supporting violence prevention programs. Many organizations are engaged not only in promoting policies and strategies but also in making a notable contribution to society’s education and the dissemination of awareness (Sanchez et al., 2020). Thus, with increased support and assistance from people, it is possible to accelerate the process of implementing measures to limit the problem of armed violence in the United States of America.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to draw upon the fact that it is our responsibility and power to create the safest environment for us and future generations. The fight against armed violence and the promotion of measures to control it are essential and imperative tasks for both the government and society. As citizens, we can contribute to a significant acceleration of this process through the support of violence prevention programs and the dissemination of knowledge about the seriousness and danger of gun ownership. Moreover, giving a lot of publicity to this problem will help improve legislative policies and steps regarding who has the right to have them and how they access them.
References
Brenan, M. (2022). Americans’ recent attitudes toward guns. Gallup. Web.
Gramlich, J. (2023). What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Pew Research Center. Web.
Sanchez, C., Jaguan, D., Shaikh, S., McKenney, M., & Elkbuli, A. (2020). A systematic review of the causes and prevention strategies in reducing gun violence in the United States. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 38(10), 2169-2178. Web.
Statista Research Department. (2023). Percentage of households in the United States owning one or more firearms from 1972 to 2022. Statista. Web.
Weigend Vargas, E., Sugarmann, J., & Bhatia, R. (2021). Gun Violence and Key Challenges in the United States. In Gun Trafficking and Violence: From the Global Network to the Local Security Challenge (pp. 51-92). Cham: Springer International Publishing.