Lumina Alliance Launches Gun Safety Campaign and Speaks About Upcoming Supreme Court Ruling
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Intimate partner violence can happen without the presence of a firearm- but an abuser having access to a gun can make dangerous situations turn deadly. Nearly two-thirds of intimate partner homicides in the United States are committed with a firearm, and when abusers have access to firearms, women are 5x more likely to die. This violence is also not isolated to one relationship or household- almost 60% of mass shootings are domestic-violence related. Domestic violence restraining orders – an order issued by the court when they find that someone poses a potential threat of violence to a former or current intimate partner – are a necessary tool in protecting our communities from gun violence.
For these reasons, Lumina Alliance is launching a Gun Safety Campaign to shine a light on the role firearms play in intimate partner violence situations. Lumina Alliance would also like to take this opportunity to alert our community about the potential impacts of an upcoming Supreme Court case, United States vs. Rahimi, and to share with our community the necessity of restricting an abuser’s access to firearms.
The United States vs. Rahimi case could mark a major turning point for the rights of survivors and their families. The case will determine whether or not it is constitutional for those subject to DVROs to be prohibited from owning firearms. The subject of the DVRO in question argued that because there was no law barring domestic abusers from owning firearms historically, it was unconstitutional to prohibit him from owning them today. The Supreme Court will now hear oral arguments on the case on November 7th, and likely issue a ruling sometime next year. If the Supreme Court does not overturn this decision, and chooses to invalidate the protections outlined in DVROs, it would have a catastrophic impact on the lives of survivors, their families, and entire communities.
Gun owners and non-gun owners alike support laws prohibiting those subject to DVROs from owning guns, and Lumina Alliance implores the Supreme Court to protect survivors and their families against violence by upholding those protections Now is the time to speak out and stand with survivors- on social media and in person. Stay informed by visiting our new Gun Safety website at LuminaAlliance.org/gunsafety.
If you are interested in learning more about the impact of firearms on intimate partner violence situations, firearm safety tips, or different types of restraining orders please visit LuminaAlliance.org/gunsafety. If you or a loved one are experiencing intimate partner or sexual violence, you can reach out to Lumina Alliance at our 24 hour crisis line at (805) 545-8888, or visit us during regular business hours.
Sources:
Everytown for Gun Safety
Geller, L.B., Booty, M. & Crifasi, C.K. The role of domestic violence in fatal mass shootings in the United States, 2014–2019. Inj. Epidemiol. 8, 38 (2021). Colleen L. Barry, Daniel W. Webster, Elizabeth Stone, Cassandra K. Crifasi, Jon S. Vernick, and Emma E. McGinty, 2018: Public Support for Gun Violence Prevention Policies Among Gun Owners and Non–Gun Owners in 2017 American Journal of Public Health
About Lumina Alliance — Lumina Alliance is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization created by the merging of RISE and Stand Strong in July 2021. Their mission is to empower those impacted by sexual and intimate partner violence through innovative advocacy, healing, and prevention programs. Services include 24/7 crisis and information line, case management, restraining order assistance, legal assistance, accompaniment and advocacy, emergency shelters, transitional housing, individual and group therapy, and robust prevention education. For more information, please visit www.LuminaAlliance.org.
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