Gun Violence, A Major Public Health Concern- The Natural Memo Times

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Gun violence

Gun violence is a complex topic with far-reaching implications for society. The US Surgeon General has declared gun violence a public health emergency. With far-reaching health, economic, and other consequences, especially among children and adolescents. In this article, we will discuss various aspects of this subject. As well as our perspective on what the primary source of gun violence is. Here are some of the key topics related to gun violence:

PTSD and veteran suicides with firearms

One of the most serious repercussions of having access to guns is veteran suicide. This is a severe and widespread issue in which firearms are tragically regularly utilized. Veterans own more firearms than the general population, according to studies, which unfortunately correlates with a higher rate of firearm-related suicide among veterans. The statistics are sobering in 2019, more than 69% of veteran suicides included a firearm. Way above the rate of weapon-related suicides in the general population.

To address this pandemic, efforts are being made to promote the proper storage of firearms and medications. As well as to offer assistance and resources to veterans who are in need. For instance, the VA’s REACH program underscores the significance of securing firearms and establishing a greater distance and time between an individual and their access to lethal measures. It is imperative that veterans and their families comprehend the warning signs of suicide. Providing the resources that are available to them, including the Veterans Crisis Line and local VA institutions that may provide immediate assistance and intervention.

School shootings

The problem of school shootings is highly upsetting and difficult. According to recent studies, the frequency of such instances has increased significantly, reaching a two-decade high. This troubling trend emphasizes the critical need for comprehensive efforts to improve school safety. Addressing the causes that contribute to gun violence. It is critical to continue the discussion on preventative measures and support networks for impacted areas. As previously stated, this article aims to describe the main factors of violence involving guns.

Community Impact

Gun violence has a significant and diverse influence on communities, impacting both direct victims and the larger social fabric. Furthermore, community gun violence disproportionately impacts low-income Black and Hispanic/Latino communities, reinforcing cycles of poverty and structural disadvantage. Realizing that mental illness is not the primary cause of gun violence. As it is frequent mention, necessitates a holistic strategy that considers the intricate interplay of social, economic, and regulatory issues. As we will soon discover, there are numerous variables that contribute to gun violence, in beyond mental disorders.

Mental Health Stigma

The link between mental illness and gun violence is complicated and sometimes misinterpreted. According to research, although those with major mental illnesses are more likely to engage in violent conduct. They account for a tiny percentage of gun violence events. In truth, research estimates that mental illness accounts for just around 4% of total violence. With an even smaller contribution to gun violence. Furthermore, studies have found that gun-related threats and violence primarily stem from how close the access to weapons is. How well secure the firearms are, not mental health issues. It is critical to address the stigma and myths surrounding mental illness. Since the majority of people with mental health disorders are nonviolent. They are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence.

Intimate Partner Violence

Guns exacerbate the serious problem of intimate partner violence (IPV), significantly increasing the likelihood of fatal outcomes. According to research, abusers who have access to weapons are five times more likely to murder their victims. Policies like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which restricts handgun access to convicted domestic abusers, have helped to address this problem. It is critical that ongoing policymaking and enforcement actions prioritize protecting people and communities affected by IPV.

Gun violence economic impact

The economic consequences of gun violence in the United States are significant and diverse. They impact not just the healthcare system but also the larger socioeconomic landscape. Recent studies have estimated that the astounding yearly cost of gun violence is over $557 billion, or 2.6% of the nation’s GDP. This statistic includes both direct expenditures, such as medical treatment, law enforcement, and criminal justice expenses. As well as indirect costs, such as missed income and productivity.

Furthermore, the emotional and psychological toll on communities, especially those disproportionately impacted, is impossible to quantify. The Surgeon General has called gun violence a public health epidemic, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive efforts to address the problem. As the country grapples with the effects of gun violence, it becomes obvious that the economic impact goes well beyond the immediate aftermath. They impact legislative choices, community resources, and individuals’ general quality of life. Furthermore, healthcare experts and economists alike have reiterated the call to action, arguing for preventative interventions that might reduce the human and economic consequences of this widespread illness.

Legislative Response

In recent years, the United States has prioritized legislative action to combat gun violence. The creation of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention during the Biden-Harris Administration represents a watershed moment in this effort. This agency is in charge of implementing critical executive and legislative actions aimed at decreasing gun violence, such as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The most significant legislative action on the topic in over three decades.

The measure strengthens background checks, funds mental health services in schools, and invests in community violence prevention initiatives. Furthermore, the government has taken executive steps to control weapon sales, encourage safe storage, and hold gun dealers responsible. These initiatives demonstrate a holistic approach to addressing the complicated issue of gun violence. Thus, the goal of making communities safer while protecting the rights of responsible gun owners.

Law Enforcement Shootings

The problem of police enforcement shootings is very complicated and sensitive. It reflects a wider social concern about law enforcement methods, public safety, and community relations. Indeed, it’s a topic that needs thorough analysis and a dedication to comprehending the many facets involved, such as legal requirements, training, and the influence on communities. Those who want to learn more about this topic may read one of our future articles on it.

Accidental unintentional shootings

Unintentional shootings, often referred to as accidental shootings, are tragic events that result in injury or death without the intent to harm. To reduce these incidents, public health approaches focus on prevention, advocating for education on gun safety, proper firearm handling, and secure storage. In 2022, unintentional firearm injuries accounted for less than 1% of all firearm deaths in the U.S., highlighting the rarity but also the preventability of such occurrences. Understanding that responsible practices and safety measures can prevent most of these incidents is crucial.

Some facts and stats

In 2022, there were 48,117 firearm-related fatalities in the United States, which is equivalent to one death every 11 minutes.
The bulk of these fatalities were suicides, with nearly 26,993 victims killed by firearms.
Homicides accounted for 19,592 firearm-related fatalities, including an estimated 649 fatally shot by law enforcement.
Firearm ownership is firmly ingrained in American society, with the United States accounting for 46% of civilian-owned guns worldwide and 30% of Americans individually possessing one.
There is a substantial link between firearm ownership rates and increasing firearm-related deaths.
States with greater levels of gun ownership and weaker gun restrictions have higher gun mortality rates, notably in the South and Mountain West, but lower rates are reported in the Northeast, where gun violence prevention policies are better.
Evidence-based policies and practices may help to avoid these injuries and fatalities.
Public opinion on gun violence and gun policy is divided, with many Americans clamoring for stronger laws and others supporting for the right to carry weapons as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.
Gun violence has risen dramatically among children and teenagers under the age of 18, with a 50% spike in gun fatalities between 2019 and 2021.
Addressing gun violence involves a multidimensional strategy that includes community participation, mental health care, and legislative action to protect everyone’s safety and well-being.

Gun violence, bullying and humiliation

Bullying and humiliation, particularly in school settings or in the workplace, are well-known factors contributing to the spread of gun violence. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the subject:

Impact on youth

The effect of gun violence on kids is a serious public health concern. According to recent studies, gun violence has surpassed automobile accidents as the main cause of mortality among young people. The psychological and emotional consequences are severe. The exposure to gun violence is associated with a higher incidence of PTSD, sadness, and anxiety among children and adolescents. Recognizing gun safety as a public health concern, similar to tobacco, and enacting regulations to reduce handgun accessibility are key steps towards solving this disaster.

Bullying and Gun Access

Studies have linked the combination of bullying-humiliation and gun availability to a rise in juvenile violence and self-harm. Studies show that bullied adolescents are more likely to have access to weapons, potentially leading to fatal outcomes. Addressing this issue necessitates comprehensive methods. Those that include educational efforts, discussions in schools and households, and interventions aimed at reducing bullying. It is imperative to supervise access to firearms. Ensuring young people’s safety and well-being involves a collective effort from schools, parents, healthcare practitioners, and the community as a whole.

Key points

Research identifies humiliation as a violation of relationships that is long-lasting, painful, and a potential cause of violence to self and others. Case studies of school shooters reveal childhoods of humiliation with severe bullying that can escalate into a suicidal-homicidal crisis. Guns, often in the form of assault weapons, purchased illegally or legally without background checks become the lethal means to kill children. On Tuesday 5/26/22, an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas was the site of yet another school shooting in this country. The former student gunman took the lives of 19 precious elementary school children and 2 heroic teachers. It broke the hearts of a nation—again.

Humiliation

Whether in childhood, our family of origin, the schoolyard, the community, or the workplace, most of us have suffered humiliation. As such, most of us have felt the pain, shame, and anger of being made to feel smaller, and disrespected. Why and how we react and whether the pain is interrupted by connection and support or intensified by more rejection bears on the link to violence. To be humiliated is to be reduced to a lower position. Feeling smaller in one’s own eyes or another’s eyes, i.e., to be made to feel ashamed or embarrassed. While humiliation may cause shame, it is actually somewhat different. Whereas we can feel shame and feel less than for something we have done or failed to do without anyone knowing. With humiliation there is always a perpetrator.

For Dr. Linda Harting (2007) humiliation is a relational violation that causes an individual to feel degraded, devalued, or unworthy. Underscoring this, psychologist and expert Dr. Clark McCauley (2017) describes humiliation as always including a perpetrator, a victim, an unjust lowering, and unequal power. With humiliation, there are often many perpetrators, and whether that translates to a schoolyard of bullies, a racist culture, or a workplace that belittles on the basis of gender, the presence of many perpetrators exacerbates the experience of being humiliated. Experiences of shame or humiliation—including experiences of being scorned, ridiculed, belittled, ostracized, or demeaned—can disrupt our ability to initiate and participate in the relationships that help us grow.

Humiliation as Enduring Pain

In her research on humiliation and violence, Harting, (2007) found that high scores on a Humiliation Inventory came from those who had recently endured humiliation as well as those whose humiliating experience occurred many, many years in the past. She wondered if the enduring nature of humiliation contributed to and intensified the aggressive responses to humiliation. She identifies two possible reasons for the enduring nature of humiliation and the violent response that follows.

Eisenberg and colleagues (2005) found that social pain, like humiliation, triggers some of the same mechanisms in the brain as physical pain. Unlike the child’s separation distress which reduces with maturity. Eisenberg et al. suggest that social pain may endure over a lifetime.

Hartling (2007) reports on research that finds that when people feel humiliated there is a lack of self-awareness which is needed for self-regulation. The excluded high school kid doesn’t want to but can’t stop thinking about being the outsider. Baumeister and colleagues (2003) suggest that social exclusion impairs regulation. Such that there is a tendency to withdraw into a deconstructed state characterized by numbness, an altered sense of time, an absence of meaningful thought. Provoking a little concern for consequences of violence to others and to self to escape. Twenge and colleagues (2002) suggest that suicide may be the ultimate self-defeating behavior to avoid self-awareness.

Victims suicidal crisis

In The Violence Project, a collection of data on mass shootings, Jillian Peterson and James Densley (2021) underscore that school shooters rarely have an escape plan for them. Their violent attack on victims is also a suicidal crisis—an ending meant to harm self and others. According to Clark McCauley, the connection between humiliation and violence is the intense desire for revenge.

In their book Revenge: On the Dynamics of a Frightening Urge and Its Taming, Bohn and Kaplan (2011) suggest that thoughts of revenge are common. Most of us have had revenge fantasies. In a way, they serve a regulatory function that helps us reset our sense of self and our sense of integrity.

The Complex Debate on Armed Security in Schools

The issue of gun violence in schools and the presence of armed security personnel is a deeply complex and sensitive subject. The debate encompasses a range of perspectives. Some advocate for increased security measures to those who question the efficacy and implications of such actions.

Recent studies have provided insights into the effectiveness of armed guards in educational settings. A cross-sectional study published in JAMA Network Open examined the association between the presence of armed school officials and the severity of mass school shootings in the United States from 1980 to 2019. The findings suggested that the presence of armed officers did not significantly reduce the rates of injuries during such incidents. In fact, schools with an armed guard had, on average, three times as many fatalities.

The Importance of Anti-Bullying Education in Schools

Bullying is a pervasive issue that affects millions of students across the globe. It can lead to long-term emotional scars, academic challenges, and social difficulties. However, schools have the power to change this narrative through comprehensive anti-bullying education programs. These programs are not just about stopping negative behaviors; they’re about fostering a culture of respect, empathy, and kindness.

Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is often repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying can take many forms, including verbal, social, physical, and increasingly, cyberbullying. It’s crucial for educational programs to address all these forms to effectively combat bullying.

Anti-bullying education aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to recognize bullying, understand its effects, and take action to prevent it. Programs often include:

Classroom discussions and activities that foster a deeper understanding of bullying and its consequences.
Training for teachers and staff on how to identify and respond to bullying incidents.
Interactive sessions that help students develop empathy and conflict-resolution skills.
Resources for parents to support their children and reinforce anti-bullying messages at home.

Effective Strategies for Anti-Bullying Education

Policy and Environment: Establishing clear anti-bullying policies and creating a safe school environment where every student feels valued and respected.
Student Engagement: Involving students in the development and implementation of anti-bullying initiatives to ensure they are relevant and effective.
Education and Training: Providing ongoing education and training for students, staff, and parents about the dynamics of bullying and strategies to prevent it.
Support Systems: Setting up support systems for victims of bullying and for those who exhibit bullying behavior, to address the issue from both ends.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly monitoring the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs and making necessary adjustments based on feedback and outcomes.

The Impact of Anti-Bullying Programs

Research has shown that school-based anti-bullying interventions can significantly reduce instances of bullying. These programs not only help in preventing bullying but also promote a positive school climate where students can thrive academically and socially.

Conclusion, stopping gun violence

The prevention of bullying and degradation is a critical component of fostering a secure community. But it is only one component of a more intricate and multidimensional solution to gun violence:

Implementing firearm purchaser licensing
guaranteeing secure gun storage
instituting firearm removal laws, such as Extreme Risk Protection Orders, are effective strategies for mitigating gun violence.
regulation of the public carry of firearms and community violence intervention programs have been demonstrated to be effective measures.
initiatives to mitigate abuse and humiliation, can establish a comprehensive approach to the prevention of gun violence

It is also imperative to address the root causes of violence, such as the availability of firearms, mental health services, and interventions in schools and neighborhoods. By integrating these endeavors with the effective enforcement of current laws and violence prevention programs, we can strive to create a secure society for all.

Resources

School Shooters: A Path From Humiliation to Gun Violence | Psychology Today

(PDF) Humiliation: A nuclear bomb of emotions? (researchgate.net)

(Shapiro et al., 1997; Spano & Bolland, 2013)

Reid and colleagues (2017)

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