WUNRN
IANSA - International Action Network
on Small Arms - Women's Network
Disarm Domestic Violence
The first international campaign to protect women from gun violence in the home.
Perhaps most shockingly, the greatest risk of gun violence to women around the world is not on the streets, or the battlefield, but in their own homes. Women are three times more likely to die violently if there is a gun in the house. Usually the perpetrator is a spouse or partner, often with a prior record of domestic abuse. Gun violence can be part of the cycle of intimidation and aggression that many women experience from an intimate partner. For every woman killed or physically injured by firearms, many more are threatened. This is why IANSA has launched a campaign to demand policies which would keep women safe from gun violence.
Campaign Aims and Objectives
The main goal is to ensure that anyone with a history of domestic abuse is
denied access to a firearm, and has their license revoked.
Campaign news and views
2012
Norway:"I will shoot you
before noon"
An article, recently published Dag Bladet, one of Norway’s biggest daily newspapers,
tells the story of Karin Bergsjø (56) who in 2001 was threatened with a gun by
her long term partner in their home.
Pakistan: Disarm Domestic
Violence - survey results
These are the results of a snapshot study conducted in districts of South
Punjab including Multan, Muzafargarh, Rajanpur and DG Khan by IANSA members at
Awaz Foundation Pakistan: Centre for Development Services.
IANSA women finalists in Avon
Communications Awards
We are delighted to share the news that the IANSA Women’s Network was a
finalist in the first-ever Avon Communications Awards: Speaking Out About
Violence Against Women for our work on the Disarm Domestic Violence campaign.
Israel: Gun Free Kitchen
Tables - Activity Report 2011
This activity report from the Gun Free Kitchen Tables (GFKT) project highlights
progress and the tangible momentum achieved in 2011 to demand enforcement of an
existing Israeli law restricting security guards’ authorisation to bear arms,
to the guards' worksites only.
Canada: New report shows
police rely on long-gun registry
In 2011, the Conservative government, with its majority, won a vote in the
House of Commons to dismantle and destroy the long-gun registry but it has not
yet moved to push the Bill through the final stages in the Senate. If they do,
seven million long-gun firearm records will be destroyed. IANSA women in Canada
continue to advocate to save the registry.
UK: Call for change - armed
domestic violence
In the UK, as in many other countries around the world, armed domestic violence
is a hidden killer. The Disarm Domestic Violence campaign continues to
highlight cases and share recommendations to help make women safer in their
homes. Although British newspapers focus on street crime with guns, the
majority of women murdered with guns in the country are killed in domestic
violence incidents, usually with a gun that was owned legally.
Costa Rica: New regulations
can help prevent armed domestic violence
In news announced on 13 January 2012, under new regulations being immediately
introduced, anyone with prior criminal convictions for domestic violence or
other violent or drug-related crimes will be not be allowed to own firearms. As
we know, this is a crucial step towards prevention of armed domestic violence
and making women safer in their homes and communities.
2011
USA: Criminals finding it easy
to get gun rights reinstated
This article by the New York Times highlights the incidence of armed domestic
violence in the US and reveals the ease with which criminals can retrieve their
rights to possess and carry firearms, even with a criminal record and a history
of domestic violence.
Switzerland: Brutal killing
sparks army gun debate
Politicians, criminologists and police have called for army-issue weapons to be
kept out of the hands of lawbreakers after a young man with a criminal record
shot and killed his girlfriend.
Guns in the Bahamas: Firearms
in Bahamian Homes
The Bahamas is considered to have a high rate of domestic violence and so the
association between gun ownership and domestic violence may be a matter of
concern if women are to be adequately protected from femicide where gun
ownership is an elevating risk factor.
France: Should police officers
be banned from keeping their firearms at home?
The article presents acts of armed domestic violence as "family
tragedies" and the murder by a young intern of his partner by playing with
his gun as a "fatal accident". The article thus lacks analysis and
context, as these are not isolated tragedies, but acts of armed domestic
violence, phenomena that is more common than the article suggests.
US: Lautenberg Marks 15 Years
Of Domestic Violence Gun Ban
Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) marked 15 years since legislation he
authored was signed into law to prohibit individuals convicted of domestic
violence misdemeanours from buying or possessing firearms. Since it was enacted
in 1996, the law has succeeded in keeping guns out of the hands of spousal and
child abusers on approximately 200,000 occasions.
US: 2010 Wisconsin Domestic
Violence Homicide Report
The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence has released the annual
compilation for 2010 of all the fatal domestic violence incidents in the state.
More victims were killed with guns than by all other means combined.
Paraguay: AI activism for a
law to help prevent armed domestic violence
IANSA women in Paraguay are campaigning for a comprehensive law to prevent,
punish and eradicate violence against women and to include provisions to remove
guns from perpetrators in cases of domestic violence.
Australia: Guns returned in
domestic violence cases
This article from Australia highlights a worrying trend; that the police force
in New South Wales is routinely returning firearms to gun-owning domestic
violence offenders.
Landmark decision invites
global rethink of state protection against domestic violence
This article explains how in a landmark decision, the Inter-American Commission
on Human Rights has found the United States responsible for human rights
violations suffered more than a decade ago by Jessica Lenahan. It makes clear
that domestic violence is a human rights violation, and brings this point into
the international spotlight. It is our hope that the decision impacts the way
people perceive domestic violence.
Sweden: Disarm Domestic
Violence conference report
This report contains highlights from the conference held in March 2011 and
explores the relationship between small arms and light weapons and violence
against women.
USA: Connecticut - new
domestic violence law signed
The new law means that domestic violence offenders will have to surrender their
firearms to police or sell them to licensed firearm dealers.
USA: Domestic violence law
aims to keep firearms away from offenders; advocates call for similar laws
around the country
Advocates for tougher domestic violence laws are applauding a New York measure
signed into law in August 2011. However, there are concerns that similar
measures aren't being adopted in other states.
Disarm Domestic Violence:
Resources
One of our campaign goals is to support the advocacy of IANSA women to help us
to work together, develop common strategies, strengthen advocacy, and
strengthen the capacity of the network and solidarity amongst us. This includes
the sharing of strategies and ‘best practice’ in policy development and details
of useful resources.
USA: Guns a chief concern in
domestic cases
In Connecticut, law officials confirm that when police are called to a domestic
violence complaint or a restraining order is issued, weapons are always a chief
concern. This article gives some insight into the process and procedures
undertaken in such cases.
USA: How many more women have
to die in domestic violence?
As the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence gets underway (13-19 June
2011) this opinion piece by Michael Marlier whose sister-in-law was killed on
27 May is a stark reminder about the prevalence of armed domestic violence, not
only in the US but around the world.
USA: Illinois Legislature
Passes Law Keeping Guns From Domestic Abusers, Restraining Order Violators
By a sweeping majority, the Illinois Senate passed a bill that would
permanently revoke the rights of certain offenders to own guns.
UK: Potential change in gun
licencing practice - inspired by Canada
This newspaper article highlights progress being made in the UK in relation to
armed domestic violence. Although there are some inaccuracies with the
description of Canada’s screening process it is a useful outline of the current
situation in the UK in relation to the Disarm Domestic Violence campaign.
International: Risks and
Benefits of a Gun in the Home
This abstract related to women and domestic violence was written by David
Hemenway and published in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF LIFESTYLE MEDICINE on 2
February 2011.
Canada: Support the Long Gun
Registry - Support Women’s Safety
An open letter on violence against women and the long gun registry.
Canada: Shelters share
statistics
The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters hopes new 2010 data will help the
province understand how best to assist women and children fleeing domestic
violence. The figures released all come from a single 24-hour period.
Thirty-seven women reported they had been threatened by their intimate partner
with a gun before seeking help from the shelters.
Canada: Long-gun registry
keeps women safe - YWCA
Long guns and rifles are the kind of firearms used most often in domestic
violence, according to a local shelter.
USA: Series of bills would
protect domestic violence victims
Advocates for domestic violence victims are applauding new measures designed to
provide more protection for those who need it most. As WAMC's Hudson Valley
Bureau Chief Greg Fry reports, the goal is to keep potential offenders off the
streets.
USA: The New York State Senate
Acts
Bill S.4244 sponsored by Senator Saland seeks to limit the illegal use of guns
by ensuring that information about misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence is
provided to the national firearm database that performs background checks.