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.  

Published yesterday, VPRP research led by Dr. Liz Tomsich explores monthly trends in domestic violence and firearm-involved domestic violence in five US cities before and during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings revealed that firearm-involved domestic violence trends increased in three of the cities—Chicago, Los Angeles, and Nashville—after the start of the pandemic. This increase is concerning, as abuser firearm access is a risk factor for lethality. See the snapshot below for more details. 

Other recent VPRP research on domestic violence has found:

• Handgun purchasers with prior DUI convictions (and no other criminal history) had almost 3x higher risk of subsequent arrest for intimate partner violence than those with no criminal history at the time of firearm purchase (Laqueur et al. 2019).
• Handgun purchasers with prior IPV charges (and no other criminal history) had a 2.6 to 5.2x higher risk of subsequent arrest for a violent Crime Index crime, any violent crime, or an IPV crime than those with no criminal history at the time of firearm purchase (Tomsich et al. 2021).
• Handgun purchasers with prior drug-related charges (and no other criminal history) had over 3x higher risk of subsequent arrest for intimate partner violence as compared to those with no charges or convictions prior to firearm purchase. (Pallin et al. 2022).

These findings may inform development and enforcement of policies that reduce firearm access for those at elevated risk of perpetrating intimate partner violence. 

Other topics covered: 

• New research on domestic violence, firearm-related violent crime, political violence, and California's prescription drug monitoring program.
• VPRP's fact sheet on political violence as a public health problem.
• VPRP's involvement at the 2023 National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms.

Stay informed—read the full newsletter for insights on how our work is driving violence prevention, our latest research and resources, upcoming events, and more. Subscribe so you never miss an issue.