Domestic violence and mass shootings

According to some statistics, almost every day in 2015 there has been a mass shooting in the United States. A mass shooting is defined as any event in which four or more victims are shot, regardless of whether or not any victim actually dies. The national news media has burned the names Sandy Hook, Columbine, Aurora, and San Bernardino into the minds of America, but less-publicized domestic violence shootings happen far too often in Wisconsin and around the country.

The mass shootings that get national attention are those where an active shooter strips away the veneer of safety that most Americans apply to society at large. Gathering places such as movie theaters, churches and elementary schools are no longer considered safe zones. Americans in these traditional bastions of safety now look for the nearest exit and eye those around them with suspicion.

While this is tragic, it overshadows the real issue. In a mass shooting incident, females compose 50 percent of the victims who are fatally wounded. This is a statistical anomaly because outside of mass shootings, females account for only 15 percent of the fatal victims of gun violence.

The reason behind this anomaly is that 76 percent of mass shootings arise out of scenarios of domestic violence. These include incidences where an aggressor has shot their spouse or former spouse, and many of the perpetrators had previously been involved in other domestic violence incidents.

If one is a victim of domestic abuse, the best course of action is to leave the situation immediately. A family law attorney might be of assistance in petitioning the court for the issuance of a protective order.