\nBy Ruby Millner and Fredrina Clark<\/em>
\nSeptember 6, 2020<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Excerpt:<\/p>\n
Six months after the COVID-19 global pandemic took over New York City and the world, shootings in the five boroughs have skyrocketed. Already, more than 1,000 shootings have happened this year \u2014 nearly double the number up to this point last year.<\/p>\n
That violence impacts many victims<\/a>, including many, like us, who were never touched by a bullet.<\/p>\n Both of us lost our sons to gun violence. The bullets that killed them killed us, too. Our spirit, hopes and some dreams were crushed the day our sons left this Earth.<\/p>\n Survivors like us, who have lost mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children and beloved friends are living in a state of constant trauma right now. We live with that trauma every day, and do our best to manage our reactions \u2014 anger, fear, deep sadness, feeling on guard and alert, flashbacks, dreams and trouble concentrating, etc. This increase in shootings has made it difficult to turn on the news without fearing we will relive the worst moments of our lives.<\/p>\n Every time we hear about another shooting in a Black or Brown community, we feel as if the blood of our own Black children is covering the streets. Entire communities are living in fear, afraid to go outside, afraid to take our normal route home from work, afraid to have our children play outside, afraid to go out into our own streets and enjoy our communities.<\/p>\n Some of us fear every knock on the door, because the next person who knocks could be there to tell you about the loss of a loved one.<\/p>\n We hope those reading this who haven\u2019t lost a loved one to violence never come to know this: The moment a family member is murdered, your life is turned upside down. It can be made worse when first responders \u2014 police officers, medical professionals, investigators \u2014 are not sensitive to the needs of survivors. The professionals who deal with gun violence daily too often \u201ctune out\u201d the survivor\u2019s feelings, which can complicate their grieving process.<\/p>\n Read the original article here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ruby Millner and Fredrina Clark lost their sons to gun violence. They share their experience healing with the help of Safe Horizon’s Community Programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":{"id":9685,"alt_text":"Support children and families in domestic violence shelters","caption":"Peggy Duffy Memorial fund","description":"Support children and families in domestic violence shelters","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":512,"height":512,"file":"2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail.png","filesize":31715,"sizes":{"medium":{"file":"Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-300x300.png","width":300,"height":300,"mime-type":"image\/png","filesize":18595,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-300x300.png"},"thumbnail":{"file":"Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-150x150.png","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/png","filesize":8008,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-150x150.png"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":9684,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail.png"},"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[519,1537,294,1539,775],"class_list":["post-8090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safe-horizon-in-the-news","tag-community-programs","tag-grief","tag-gun-violence","tag-loss","tag-trauma","issue-gun-violence","issue-victims-of-other-abuse"],"acf":{"page_header_title":"","title_font_size":"42","page_header_excerpt":"","sub-headline_placement":false,"page_header_image":false,"custom_scripts":false,"show_author_bio":false,"original_url":"","related_initiative_title":"Do you need help?","related_initiative_link":"\/emergency","related_initiative_link_text":"Learn about our services","featured_posts":[{"ID":6363,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2018-10-05 20:50:33","post_date_gmt":"2018-10-05 20:50:33","post_content":"![\"4](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/4-Things-You-Can-Do-to-Reduce-Gun-Violence_Gun-Violence-Panel-1024x689.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nOctober 5, 2018<\/em>\r\n\r\nEvery day, 96 Americans are killed with guns, and hundreds more are shot and injured, according to Everytown for Gun Violence.<\/a><\/u>\u00a0At Safe Horizon, we support survivors of gun violence and families of homicide victims every day. We recently convened a panel of experts to discuss the gun violence epidemic, and what we can do about it. Here are four key takeaways from the discussion, and four ways you can take action, today!\r\nWhat You Need to Know About Gun Violence<\/h1>\r\n1. The Issue of Gun Violence is so Much More Complex That What We See in the News<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u201cMass shootings are just a small part of the issue of gun violence, but also the most publicized.\u201d Eric Tirschwell, Everytown for Gun Safety.<\/em>\r\n\r\nGun violence is frequently a symptom of more fundamental injustices, including racism and economic disempowerment. Most gun violence occurs on a much smaller scale than a mass shooting, but it is frequently not random, either. Systemic disinvestment in communities creates environments more conducive to crime, including gun violence. Lack of opportunities and basic resources can lead an individual to do things they wouldn\u2019t otherwise do, to regain a sense of safety and control.\r\n\r\n2. Reducing Gun Violence Involves Thinking Creatively and Compassionately About Resolving Conflict<\/strong>\r\n\r\nAll violence involves conflict, but not all conflict has to involve violence. \u201cPeace does not mean conflict-free. Peace is being able to work through things in ways that don\u2019t endanger you and me.\u201d Tiffany Murray, Save our Streets.<\/em>\r\n\r\n3.\u00a0Race is a Critical Factor in the Way We Do - Or Don't - Understand Who Feels the Impact of Gun Violence, and How<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIn remembering white victims of gun violence, news reports tend to highlight their achievements, their best qualities, and their lost potential. For many victims who are people of color, the news presents a very different narrative. Individually and systemically, their deaths are minimized or even justified by judgments about their decisions or lifestyle, and the result is a dismissal of their humanity. Representation matters and every life lost to gun violence was a whole person with a complex set of experiences, achievements, flaws, and potential.\r\n\r\n4. There Are Important Parallels Between Gun Violence and Other Forms of Violence<\/strong>\r\n\r\nWomen in abusive relationships are 5 times more likely to be killed if there\u2019s a gun in their home, according to research published in the American Journal of Public Health in July 2003.\u00a0<\/a>The mere presence of a gun can also facilitate crimes like assault, trafficking, and robbery. \u201cA gun doesn\u2019t have to be discharged to do harm.\u201d Kimmi Herring, Safe Horizon<\/em>\r\n
What You Can Do About Gun Violence<\/h1>\r\n1. Connect With Organizations and Communities Who Are Already Working to Address Gun Violence<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s not necessary to reinvent the wheel. Many individuals and groups are making great strides. Connect with them, and work to amplify their message.\r\n\r\n2. Engage on a political level: Campaign! Register! Vote!<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThere are unusually high political and legislative barriers to gun reform, many of which cannot be overcome without responsive representation. Voting is an essential piece of the puzzle.\r\n\r\n3. Build New Relationships, and Start in Your Own Community<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u201cDon\u2019t just speak to the neighbor who speaks to you all the time, speak to the one who doesn\u2019t speak to you. Those are things that change communities and change relationships.\u201d Tiffany Murray, Save Our Streets Bed-Stuy<\/em>\r\n\r\n4. Keep the Conversation Going, Even When You Encounter Barriers<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u201cTalk to your friends. Talk to family members. Talk to people who don\u2019t necessarily agree with you.\u201d Eric Tirschwell, Everytown for Gun Safety<\/em>\r\n
Support for c<\/strong>rime victims and their loved ones is available through our 24\/7 Crime Victims Hotline: 866-689-HELP(4357). <\/strong><\/a><\/h1>\r\n
Our Community Programs<\/a> work to provide ongoing support to survivors of crime and violence. To schedule an appointment, call our Helpline during business hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) at 855-234-1042<\/a>. <\/strong><\/h1>\r\nThank you to our panelists!<\/strong><\/em>\r\n\r\nKimmi Herring <\/strong>\r\n\r\nDirector, Brooklyn Community Program, Safe Horizon<\/a><\/u>\r\n\r\nTiffany Murray <\/strong>\r\n\r\nProgram Manager, Save Our Streets Bed-Stuy<\/a><\/u>\r\n\r\nEric Tirschwell <\/strong>\r\n\r\nDirector, Litigation and National Enforcement Policy, Everytown for Gun Safety<\/a><\/u>","post_title":"Four Things You Can Do to Reduce Gun Violence","post_excerpt":"Safe Horizon recently convened a panel of experts to discuss the gun violence epidemic, and what we can do about it. Here are four key takeaways from the discussion, and four ways you can take action, today!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gun-violence-panel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-10 13:11:03","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-10 17:11:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=6363","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]},"yoast_head":"\n