Living in Fear

VTDigger - October 31, 2021
Rutland Herald - October 30, 2021
Times Argus - October 30, 2021

The intersection of guns and domestic violence is deadly. As we close out Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we must remember that many people across Vermont will continue to live in fear due to the prevalence of guns in our state. 

Firearms are not only easily accessed in Vermont, but also difficult to remove quickly from abusers. To protect current and future victims, we must make it more challenging for abusers to own guns and easier to get them removed from abusers. 

First, it is important to understand what we mean by domestic violence and how it impacts the lives of Vermonters. The National Network to End Domestic Violence defines domestic violence as a pattern of coercive, controlling behavior that can include, but is not limited to, physical violence, financial abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, and tech-facilitated abuse. 

In Vermont, the Vermont Network estimates that, annually, 41,000 Vermonters are victims of domestic violence, with about 10,000 of those being children. While domestic violence disproportionately impacts women, it is an issue that affects individuals of all genders, sexual identities, races, abilities and socioeconomic situations. This means, if you have not experienced domestic violence yourself, you likely know someone who has (even if you aren’t aware). 

Bring a gun into these situations, and the situation can turn fatal. Half of all homicides in Vermont are due to domestic violence. In some recent years, Vermont has outranked most states for per-capita rates of domestic violence homicide. The majority of those are committed with a firearm. 

Lethality is worse for women in these situations. When an abusive partner has access to a gun, women are five times more likely to be murdered by their abusive partner with that gun. 

We must remember, however, that homicide is only one aspect of gun violence.  Even if a gun is never fired, guns are used by abusers to threaten and intimidate. Guns are used to retain power and control. Oftentimes, the threat of gun violence is enough for the victim to avoid taking action against their abuser. 

It seems clear, then, that one of the best things we can do to protect victims of domestic violence is to prevent guns from getting in abusers’ hands in the first place.

One way to protect victims is to close the Charleston loophole. This loophole allows gun purchasers, including abusers, to purchase and receive certain kinds of weapons by default if their federal background check isn’t completed within three business days. The loophole is especially dangerous for victims of domestic violence. 

In the most recent national data from 2019, it is estimated that 2,989 firearms were transferred to prohibited persons before a background check could be completed, including 562 to convicted domestic abusers. Closing the loophole will protect victims and save lives. 

The second way to protect victims is to require authorities to remove guns immediately from domestic abusers. 

Currently, if a family or household member were to seek a relief from abuse order — commonly known as a restraining order — the court may not require the abuser to give up their guns. Our local law enforcement agencies are also not immediately removing guns from households due to a combination of inadequate training, lack of resources, and/or not taking the threat seriously enough. 

In domestic violence situations, retaining or relinquishing firearms can mean the difference between life and death. 

In Vermont, it has meant life or death. In 2018, an abusive ex-boyfriend killed a woman in Burlington with the guns he wasn’t supposed to own. Prior to her death, she repeatedly told police that her abuser was armed. She obtained a relief from abuse order against her ex-boyfriend, but he refused to give up his weapons. After the order was up, police failed to continue trying to remove guns from the abuser, and he killed her shortly after. 

Tragic stories like this are not uncommon, even if they don’t end in death. In an affidavit from 2020 from another victim in Vermont, she stated the following: “I have been too scared to call the police because he tells us that will be our last mistake; he will have a shootout with police. He has guns and a bulletproof vest he carries with him, so I take his words seriously. I’ve been dealing with this for months. He has completely lost his mind. I can’t sleep at night because I’m worried he will come shoot us up at night and kill us all.” 

The abuser continued to own guns for almost a year before being issued a search warrant, being arrested, and having his guns seized. But it wasn’t her testimony the year prior that triggered the search warrant. The abuser’s guns were not removed until he threatened to kill the local police and his neighbors. 

In 2020, legislation was introduced in the Vermont House that would require abusers to give up their guns and prevent them from purchasing more if a court issued a relief from abuse order against them. This didn’t pass, unfortunately, but will be taken up again next session.

Let’s hope our legislators have the courage to protect current and future victims of violence in our communities. 

If we care about victims of domestic violence, then we must also believe them when they tell us they are unsafe. And if we care, we will start acting on gun violence. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7, for confidential assistance from a trained advocate. You can also reach out to VTNetwork.org to find local resources and get help.