Gun Violence is a national problem that needs national solutions. Almost every day we hear of another mass shooting* in our country. But America’s gun violence epidemic is made up of much more than high-profile media events. Every 16 hours, a woman in America is shot and killed by a current or former intimate partner. Suicides account for 60 percent of all gun deaths. And there are many communities across the country where gun violence on their streets is an everyday reality.
Started in New York, Gun Violence Awareness Month is a time to promote greater awareness about gun violence and gun safety, bringing citizens and community leaders together to discuss how to make all of our communities safer. One nonprofit leading this charge is the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence reduces gun violence using a tripartite strategy that incorporates litigation, legislation, and education. Our strategy focuses on the common ground shared by most Americans: we need to keep guns out of the hands of those who would use them to harm themselves or others. We accomplish this through three campaigns that 1) reduce the flow of crime guns into communities most heavily impacted by gun violence; 2) expand and protect the Brady background check system; and 3) change the cultural misconception that owning or carrying a gun makes you safer.
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