A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals that individuals living in homes with handguns face a higher risk of being murdered compared to those in gun-free residences. The research finds that among nearly 600,000 Californians who began living in homes with handguns, the projected homicide rate is 12 per 100,000 over five years, compared to eight per 100,000 in homes without firearms. “We found zero evidence of any kind of protective effects,” says David Studdert, the lead author.
This study, described as a landmark by experts, highlights that the risk increases significantly for women, who make up 84% of intimate partner shooting victims. While the study is limited to California’s unique data set and cannot be generalizable nationwide, it raises important questions about the safety of gun ownership, challenging the perception that owning handguns provides necessary protection. Researchers suggest that the correlation may be even stronger in states with looser gun laws.
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