Interpersonal Violence

Dr. Rose Kagawa co-presented alongside Michelle Spencer from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health on alcohol misuse and gun violence in a briefing hosted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

Click here for the full webinar by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. 

What was supposed to be a time of happiness and optimism for a new beginning was ruptured by tragedy and terror. In late January 2023, two horrific mass shootings targeted Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, California.

“More than 33,000 people have died in mass shootings since January 1, 2023. Not only are guns the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 19 and young adults age 25 and under, but young Black Americans are 14 times more likely than white youth to die of gun homicide.

To determine the trends in domestic violence and firearm domestic violence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers used police-reported crime data from Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2020. The onset of the pandemic was considered to be Mar. 20, 2020. The cities examined were Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles, CA; and Nashville, TN. 

In this issue: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We know that better understanding risk factors for domestic violence helps to develop more effective prevention measures.  

In this issue: According to newly released provisional 2022 mortality data from CDC WONDER, the rate of firearm mortality fell by 1.5% from 2021 to 2022. A 6.5% drop in firearm homicide deaths is driving that decrease, despite a 2.5% jump in firearm suicides. The overall 1.5% decrease may appear modest, but it represents tragedies prevented and lives saved.

In this issue: On June 2nd, we commemorated National Gun Violence Awareness Day to honor the victims and survivors of gun violence. Here at VPRP, we honor them through action by developing knowledge and driving change for a safer, healthier, and more equitable future.

One in five adults in California, or an estimated 6.5 million people, are concerned that someone they know, usually a friend or family member, is at risk of harming themselves or others, according to new research published in Preventive Medicine.

Of the people perceived to be at risk for harming others, an estimated 19% were said to have access to firearms. For those perceived to be at risk of harming themselves, that number was approximately 11%.

The rise in unemployment during the five months of the pandemic was associated with an increase in firearm violence and homicide in 16 American cities. 

Research led by UC Davis Professor Garen Wintemute shows that violence indirectly impacts most Californians. Though relatively few may experience or witness a violent act, a large majority of surveyed Californians reported having an “experience of violence” (EV). These included hearing gunshots in their neighborhood, encountering a sidewalk memorial to a violent death or learning about a violent event through their social network.