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Statement from OVW Acting Director Laura Rogers on Domestic Violence and Firearms

Author:

Laura L. Rogers, Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, has issued a statement on firearms safety during the pandemic. Read it on the Justice.gov website.

“Stress and financial uncertainty can exacerbate domestic or sexual abuse and adding a firearm to the situation equals an even more deadly equation. We know from research and prosecutorial experience that loss of employment and the escalation of abusive behavior may lead to the murder of an intimate partner.

“I strongly encourage families that have a gun in the home to take time to discuss and think about safety issues.”