South Middlesex Times

A recent study by the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center at Rutgers University has revealed that defensive firearm use is far less common than exposure to gun violence. According to the study, a significant majority of firearm users, about 92%, reported never using their weapons for self-defense. Less than 1% of respondents claimed they had done so in the previous year.

Michael Anestis, executive director of the center and lead author of the study, emphasized this finding. “Adults with firearm access are far more likely to be exposed to gun violence than they are to defend themselves with their firearms,” he stated. Anestis pointed out that while defensive gun use does occur, it is not as frequent as some may believe. He noted, “When we consider policies, we need to more heavily weigh the harms that frequently occur, not the instances of defense that rarely happen.”

The research was published in JAMA Network Open and involved data from a nationally representative sample of 8,009 adults collected in May 2024. It focused on how often those with firearm access—3,000 participants—engaged in defensive gun use and were exposed to gun violence throughout their lives and within the past year.

The findings also highlighted other aspects related to gun violence exposure: over one-third (34.4%) knew someone who died by firearm suicide; 32.7% heard gunshots in their neighborhood in the past year; only 2.1% reported being shot themselves; however, 59.5% of defensive gun uses involving shooting at a perceived threat occurred among individuals previously shot.

Anestis cautioned against assuming that every instance of defensive gun use results in saving a life. “When defensive gun use occurs," he said, "we should not necessarily conclude that the result was a life saved that otherwise would have been lost.”

The study further examined factors associated with engaging in defensive gun use over one's lifetime. Individuals who had prior exposure to gun violence or frequently carried loaded and unlocked firearms were more likely to report having used them defensively.

“If individuals themselves have experienced gun violence or they more frequently have quick and ready access to their firearms," Anestis explained, "they may be more prone to perceiving threats and responding through the use of their firearm.” He added that perceiving someone as a threat does not inherently mean they are one nor does it always justify using a firearm for defense.