Gun Free Valentine’s Day: February 14

The Gun Free Valentine’s Day campaign raises awareness of intimate partner violence, the increased risks to women of a gun in the home, and how laws can be used to save lives.

In some countries, gun ownership is viewed as a sign of strength and masculinity. Sometimes, a man purchases a gun with the purported aim of protecting his home and family from intruders. However, it is well documented that a gun in the home does not make people, especially women, safer. In reality, a gun makes a home much more dangerous.

In a number of countries, gun ownership is viewed as a sign of love when a man purchases a gun with the aim of protecting his family and home. It is a myth, however, that a gun in the home makes families safer. The Medical Research Council (MRC) of South Africa found that legal guns are used in 75% of cases in which a woman is shot and killed, and in 60% of these cases, the shooting occurs in her own home. According to studies in the U.S., the presence of guns in the home is associated with a 3-fold increased homicide risk within the home compared to homes without guns. The risk connected to gun ownership increases to 8-fold when the offender is an intimate partner or relative of the victim, and is 20 times higher when previous domestic violence exists.

Implementing legislations that keep guns away from abusers is key. In South Africa, both the Firearms Control Act and the Domestic Violence Act give women the power to take action against domestic violence by requiring police or court officials to confiscate firearms or other dangerous weapons when a domestic violence complaint involving a gun or other weapon is made.