A recent study revealed a person who experiences abuse, neglect or family violence in their childhood are at risk for gun violence perpetrated against themselves and others later in life.
“There is a well-established connection between child maltreatment and the risk of violent crime and suicidality,” the authors wrote.
The report, from the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law, pulls together several different studies to define the connection between child abuse and gun violence.
The researchers found that experiencing or witnessing violence as a kid increases the chance someone will carry a weapon as an adult. Involvement within the child welfare system may also be a risk factor for gun violence, according to the report.
Why this matters
The study’s findings present several reporting opportunities for health care journalists. They can cover the population-level risks and patterns of child abuse and explore how a person who was abused later faced problems with violence.
“A deeper understanding of the relationship between childhood maltreatment and gun violence can lead to more effective, targeted interventions that promote the safety and well-being of children and youth while addressing a significant public health concern,” the authors wrote.
The report also details several studies establishing that childhood abuse and trauma puts someone at risk of being involved in an act of violence, according to the report. But that doesn’t mean experiencing abuse always leads to violence.
Most people who are abused never engage in violence, said Jessica Heldman of Children’s Advocacy Institute during a December webinar on the report.
“We want to emphasize that although we are looking at child maltreatment and child welfare system experience as potential risk factors for gun violence, the undeniable fact is that the vast majority of maltreated children, and the vast majority of foster youth or youth in our child welfare systems, do not engage in any sort of violence at all,” Heldman said.
The most common outcome is for them to demonstrate resilience and never be violent, she added.
“Our findings relate to factors that may result in increased risk, and that risks can be reduced,” Heldman said. “It is important that this work is not used to stigmatize victims of child abuse or foster youth.”
Key data points to inform coverage
One of the report’s major findings is the connection to domestic violence. Experiencing or witnessing domestic violence as a child puts someone at risk of violent behavior, violent crime and gun arrests later in life.
The report highlights one study that found a “consistent and significant” relationship between witnessing domestic violence and later committing gun violence.
Children who witness or experience violence in their homes are also more likely to learn and imitate aggressive behaviors, according to the report. They also might be prone to seeing situations as threatening, even when they aren’t.
The report’s other findings include:
- Child abuse is more likely to lead to delinquent behavior in boys.
- Girls are more likely to be involved in the juvenile justice system the longer they’re involved in the child welfare system.
- Black youth are not more likely than white youth to engage in delinquent behavior, but they are more likely to be involved in the juvenile justice system.
- Poverty is associated with child abuse and delinquency.
- A kid’s first time in the child welfare system puts them at risk of juvenile justice involvement.
- Chronic and repeated abuse is a major predictor for delinquency and criminal behavior. The more types of abuse they experience, the greater the likelihood of threatening others with weapons.
Prevention strategies
Preventing child abuse is also an effective gun violence prevention strategy, Heldman said during the Children’s Advocacy Institute webinar.
“Domestic violence in particular is predictive of violent crime,” Heldman said. “Efforts must not be limited to preventing abuse or neglect solely, but also preventing violence more broadly within the home and family.”
Another recommendation from the report is to screen for trauma, violence risk, mental health, substance abuse, suicide and gun access.
Using screenings, “Professionals can identify at-risk individuals and provide timely interventions to help prevent the tragic consequences of gun violence and suicide,” the authors wrote.
But researchers cautioned against using those screenings to stigmatize or label individuals as violent.
“Instead, screening should be used only to ensure access to appropriate and trauma-informed services and resources for those who may be at risk of long-term negative outcomes due to adverse experiences,” they wrote.
The report also says nurse home visits for high-risk mothers and Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) have both been shown to prevent child abuse and increase positive outcomes for children.
Nurse home visits provide moms with regular access to professionals who provide guidance, tools for bonding with their child, parenting skills and tips for creating a safe home. Triple P is another program that attempts to reduce risk factors for child abuse and neglect by teaching parents how to parent and correcting bad parenting.
Resources
There are several gun violence prevention organizations that often specifically focus on the impacts on children. Those groups include:
- Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for stronger policies to prevent firearm violence, endorses “gun sense” candidates and supports research on the causes of firearm violence and solutions. The group was formed in 2013 by merging Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
- Moms Demand Action is the nonprofit founded by Shannon Watts after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. The organization advocates for stronger firearm safety measures and pushes for stronger state and federal laws on guns. The group is a part of Everytown for Gun Safety and has a chapter in every state and Washington, D.C.
- Sandy Hook Promise is a nonprofit founded and led by several family members who lost loved ones killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. The group’s intention is to honor all victims of gun violence and encourage meaningful action to prevent gun violence.
