September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, and there are things we can all do to prevent this tragedy that touches so many of us. Suicide is often an impulsive act. Approximately 90 percent of people who attempt suicide with a gun will die. In contrast, over 90 percent of those who attempt suicide by other methods will live, and they are unlikely to attempt suicide again. Easy access to a gun during a period of crisis can be the difference between life and death.
Two-thirds of gun deaths in America are suicides and every day roughly three Virginians die by gun suicide. Crozet is not immune to this tragedy; every year or so we learn of another neighbor or friend who has died by firearm suicide. We have mourned the loss of some of our own friends this way, and though our grief is often private, we are compelled into action to prevent more deaths.
We launched the Crozet chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America in August because we recognize suicide as a form of gun violence and we know there are things we can do to prevent it and other kinds of gun violence. Moms Demand Action (“Moms,” for short) advocates for responsible, common sense gun reform—laws like expanded background checks that would prevent dangerous individuals from accessing guns, and extreme risk protection orders (“red flag” laws) that would empower police to temporarily remove firearms from at-risk individuals. States with red flag laws have experienced a reduction in suicides: these laws save lives.
Those at the highest risk for suicide are veterans, teenagers, and, especially, middle-aged men. This is terrifying to us because it describes so many of our friends and neighbors here in Crozet. Suicide is a complex issue, but there are things we can do to prevent these tragedies.
1. Store your gun responsibly. Storing firearms unloaded, locked, and separately from ammunition prevents curious young children from playing with them, as well as struggling adolescents from accessing them in a moment of crisis. Eighty percent of children who die by gun suicide used a gun from their home. It is essential that guns be kept away from children unless a responsible adult is actively supervising.
2. Ask how guns are stored in the homes your children will visit. We ask about allergies, dogs, and pools, but an estimated 1.7 million American children live in a home with an unlocked and loaded gun. This is a safety issue. Our Be SMART program promotes responsible gun storage and safety, and can help make this conversation feel less political. We are eager to promote Be SMART with any group in Crozet; contact [email protected] for more info.
3. Join our movement of mothers and others as we work to reduce gun violence. Crozet’s Moms chapter is comprised of gun violence survivors, gun owners, teachers, ministers, attorneys—the only requirement is that you want a future free from gun violence. We need your help to keep us all safer.
We must be honest about what gun violence looks like in America, and it’s not what we typically see on the news. Join us as we work toward a future free from gun violence.
Leanne Fox, Liz Adam,
Lucinda Hart, Alison Miller
Crozet Moms Demand
Action Leadership Team
