Arguments For Gun Control

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When gun control is discussed, the conversation tends to center around gun crimes rather than how guns affect abuse situations and suicide. Gun control should be a conversation that covers a wide variety of topics so the pros and cons of either opinion on the topic can be examined fairly and in depth. In 2010, 62% of all gun deaths were suicide. This makes suicide the leading death category for gun violence according to the executive director at SmartGunLaws.org, Robyn Thomas, who graduated with a law degree from Duke (Smart Gun Laws). ProCon.org, an organization, validated by the New York Times for its great voter information and factual statistics, provides clear and detailed analysis and facts on many arguments; including gun control. This …show more content…
Not all gun purchases have to go through a supposedly ‘rigorous’ process known commonly as an instant background check. For instance at gun shows, firearms can be both bought and sold without any background checks taking place. This means that anyone can get their hands on a gun without the FBI looking into their criminal and mental history first. ProCon cites a cross section study done by multiple people from Lancet. This factual study showed surprising statistics: Background checks would likely reduce deaths by guns over 50% and background checks for ammo would reduce deaths by over 80% (ProCon). Along with this, Over 80% of adults support background checks before buying a gun according to Amber Phillips, writer for the Washington Post and long time political journalist (Phillips). Background checks are the most basic measure when it comes to the topic of gun control. They are noninvasive, non threatening, and create little restrictions, unless the person getting the gun should not legally be doing so. Because of this, even those who disagree with increased gun control measures have little reason to be against background …show more content…
This alarming statistic can lead to the conclusion that implementing gun control might prevent horrific acts regarding women in abuse situations from occurring, actively saving lives. These statistics, however, are not the only unnerving facts about the effect of guns on domestic abuse. For example, there were more women killed with guns wielded by an intimate partner between 2001 and 2012 than there were American soldiers killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2001 and 2015 (ProCon). When more women are being killed in the United States in a shorter time span and greater rate compared to those in a war, it becomes clear that something needs to be done. Some might believe that this is typical of countries all across the world. This is not the case. In fact, of “first world” countries, 86% of women killed by firearms reside in the United States (ProCon). A study done by Jacquelyn Campbell, Professor at John Hopkins School of Nursing and leader in the field of domestic abuse studies, found in the American Journal of Public Health found that women are five times more likely to die in a domestic abuse situation if a gun is present (Campbell et al). There are many reasons to support gun control, and the safety of women is one of