![\"United](\"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/United-States-vs.-Rahimi-Supreme-Court-Case-Domestic-Violence-Gun-Violence.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
On November 7, 2023, the United States Supreme Court will hear United States vs. Rahimi. This critical case will determine whether persons charged with domestic violence offenses may be permitted to retain ownership of firearms. If the court decides in favor of Rahimi, it will immediately affect the safety and well-being of domestic violence survivors and their families in New York, and across the country.\u202f<\/strong><\/p>\n This case rests on a challenge made by Mr. Rahimi. As per the ACLU website, Mr. Rahimi was convicted of possessing a gun while subject to a domestic violence protective order, issued after he violently assaulted his domestic partner in a parking lot and shot a gun when he noticed that others had witnessed his abuse. Mr. Rahimi challenged the law as a violation of the Second Amendment right to bear arms (Source: https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/cases\/united-states-v-rahimi<\/a>)<\/p>\n As part of Safe Horizon\u2019s advocacy for survivor-informed legislation, we hosted two roundtable discussions regarding this case in partnership with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, Commissioner Cecile Noel of the Mayor\u2019s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV), Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, and Safe Horizon staff and clients. The roundtable discussions brought domestic violence survivors\u2019 voices to the public conversation and drew attention to our deep concern about the potential upending of current protections for domestic violence survivors from gun violence and how it will put the safety of survivors at risk. You can find a recording on our Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n At one of the roundtables, Liz Roberts, Safe Horizon CEO, said that “The stakes could not be any higher: will the United States Supreme Court vote to allow domestic violence offenders and other persons who have been served protective orders to own or\u202fpossess\u202fa firearm, or will they vote to ensure safety for survivors?” and a Safe Horizon client, a survivor of gun violence herself, remarked that \u201cIf this decision is overturned where people who cause harm can have guns, our future, our children’s future, will be affected.\u201d<\/p>\n These quotes highlight the reality that this Supreme Court case will quite literally mean life and death.<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Everytown for Gun Safety, abusers with firearms are five times more likely to kill their victims<\/strong>. Moreover, Everytown reports that an average of 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner each month (Source: everytownresearch.org\/domestic-violence<\/a>).<\/p>\n We urge you to join us in calling for the Supreme Court to prioritize the safety of domestic violence survivors! To help spread the message of the impact this case might have, you can find a series of graphics<\/a> on our social media \u2013 we invite you to share with your networks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" United States vs. Rahimi Supreme Court Case will determine whether persons charged with domestic violence offenses may be permitted to retain ownership of firearms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":{"id":10472,"alt_text":"United States vs. Rahimi Supreme Court Case will determine whether persons charged with domestic violence offenses may be permitted to retain ownership of firearms.","caption":"Supreme Court of the United States. 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Washington DC, USA.","created_timestamp":"1389292147","copyright":"","focal_length":"50","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.00125","title":"Supreme Court of the United States. Washington DC, USA.","orientation":"1","keywords":["ame","america"]}},"post":10470,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/United-States-vs.-Rahimi-Supreme-Court-Case-Domestic-Violence-Gun-Violence.jpg"},"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2015],"tags":[92,781,294,1895],"class_list":["post-10470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safe-blog","tag-domestic-violence","tag-domestic-violence-and-gun-violence","tag-gun-violence","tag-united-states-vs-rahimi","issue-domestic-violence","issue-gun-violence","issue-policy-research","issue-victims-of-other-abuse"],"acf":{"page_header_title":"","title_font_size":"42","page_header_excerpt":"","sub-headline_placement":false,"page_header_image":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image.png","custom_scripts":false,"show_author_bio":false,"original_url":"","related_initiative_title":"Do you need help?","related_initiative_link":"\/get-help\/domestic-violence\/","related_initiative_link_text":"Click here to learn more ","featured_posts":[{"ID":9863,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2022-10-12 10:25:41","post_date_gmt":"2022-10-12 14:25:41","post_content":"October 2022<\/em>\r\n\r\nThe facts and stats around domestic violence and gun violence are clear: When someone who is abusive has access to a gun, victims and their children are in serious and immediate danger.\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s why we are shining a light on the intersection between gun violence and domestic violence during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Please read this blog post to learn how guns dramatically increase the risk of homicide for victims of domestic abuse, how the threat of gun violence impacts children, why guns in the home go underreported, and critically, how survivors can get help.\r\n Safe Horizon operates the NYC Hotline, a 24\/7, 365 day a year number for anyone who has experienced domestic or intimate partner violence,\u202fcrime,\u202fabuse,\u202for sexual assault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through one phone call, survivors can access direct, supportive counseling and referral to programs and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our confidential Hotline is staffed by advocates who provide crisis counseling, safety planning, assistance finding domestic violence shelters, and information about resources, with translation services in over 25 languages. An online chat service is also available through the Hotline. ![\"New](\"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/NYS-Gov-Kathy-Hochul-Safe-Horizon-CEO-Liz-Roberts-at-Domestic-Violence-Gun-Violence-Roundtable-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nStatistics: How domestic violence survivors experience guns violence<\/h2>\r\n
![\"Domestic](\"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Domestic-Violence-Victim-Homicide-Gun-Statistic_DVAM-2022.png\")
\r\n\r\nPeople causing harm do many things to control domestic violence survivors and anyone involved in the abusive relationship. Guns are a serious threat on their own and when an abuser has access to a gun, domestic violence survivors are at much greater risk. According to the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) July 2003 via Everytown<\/a>, domestic violence victims are five times more likely to be killed when guns are in reach.\r\n\r\n![\"Guns](\"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Guns-Children-Teens-Leading-Cause-of-Death_DVAM-2022.png\")
\r\n\r\nAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics data compiled by Everytown: The Impact of Gun Violence on Children and Teens,<\/a> guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens. Nearly 3 in 4 children and teens killed in mass shootings died in an incident connected to domestic violence. (Everytown: Mass Shootings in America<\/a>)\r\n\r\nGun violence does not have to be fatal to cause harm. Children living in homes where domestic violence is present are exposed to, or experience, higher rates of physical and sexual assault. (DOJ, OJP<\/a>)\r\nFacts: How guns are used to abuse domestic violence survivors and children<\/h2>\r\nGuns put survivors' lives in more danger.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n[gallery size=\"medium\" columns=\"2\" ids=\"9877,9878,9879,9880\"]\r\n\r\nSurvivors experience psychological terror when threatened with a gun. The person causing harm can threaten to shoot the survivor, a pet, or a person the victim cares about. In addition, they could clean, hold, or load a gun or even fire the gun during an argument.\r\n\r\nWhen domestic violence escalates because of gun violence, children can suffer the most.\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\n
![\"Children](\"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Children-Witness-Parent-Killed-with-Gun-Domestic-Violence-Infographic.png\")
Children who see their parent killed with a gun suffer severe PTSD, behavioral problems, and suicidal thoughts. Child trauma from witnessing a parent killed often follows children into adulthood. (Journal of Family Issues<\/a>)\r\nWhy Domestic Violence Survivors Don\u2019t Report Guns in the Home<\/h2>\r\nGuns in the home make domestic violence survivors afraid for their lives, even if the person abusing them isn\u2019t home. That fear, and the trauma it causes, can last for years, even after a survivor is physically safe.\r\n\r\nSometimes they have access to a gun because they are or were previously employed by law enforcement. Other survivors have had negative experiences with the justice system and simply don\u2019t believe that reporting that their partner has a gun will help them.\r\n
How Safe Horizon Can Help<\/h2>\r\nSafe Horizon can support domestic violence survivors who have been threatened with or experienced gun violence. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you\u2019re looking for long-term support or connections to resources, call our 24\/7 hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE (4673)<\/a>.","post_title":"Domestic Violence, Guns, and Children: Facts and Statistics","post_excerpt":"This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we highlight the facts and statistics of around guns and domestic violence: how guns dramatically increase risk for domestic abuse survivors, create fear and violence for children in the home, and how survivors can get help.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"domestic-violence-guns-and-children-facts-and-stats","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-10 13:54:54","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-10 17:54:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=9863","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7050,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2020-02-05 20:21:13","post_date_gmt":"2020-02-05 20:21:13","post_content":"\n
Safety starts with a phone call.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n","post_title":"Hotline and Chat","post_excerpt":"Answering the call with personalized support, safety planning, and help accessing resources, including emergency shelter, for all survivors. ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"hotlines-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-05-21 16:44:00","post_modified_gmt":"2025-05-21 20:44:00","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/safehorizondev.wpengine.com\/?page_id=7050","menu_order":0,"post_type":"page","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]},"yoast_head":"\n