USA : On March 2024, the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP) hosted a convening with mothers affected by gun violence, who are also leading victim service organizations and survivor support efforts in their communities.
During the convening, panelists shared their personal stories related to gun violence, the work they are doing to help survivors and victims, challenges they have faced in securing resources, and what else is needed to help all those affected by the epidemic of gun violence. White House officials briefed attendees on resources that are available to victims following a shooting or other violent crime, and discussed ways to improve access to these resources.
The convening featured mothers from organizations active in victim services, including Not Another Child, Mothers in Charge, R.O.A.R., Mothers Against Gang Violence, Guns Down Friday, Black Men Deserve to Grow Old, Hustle Mommies and more.
Yesterday’s convening comes on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Parkland, Florida, on Saturday, where the Vice President and OGVP met with families whose loved ones were killed during the 2018 mass shooting that took the lives of 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. In Parkland, the Vice President called on states to pass red flag laws and announced the launch of the first-ever national resource center to support the implementation of these laws, which allow courts to remove firearms from those at risk of harming themselves or others.
Yesterday’s convening highlighted the actions of the Biden-Harris Administration to prevent crime and promote public safety, including the President’s American Rescue Plan, which helped states and one thousand cities, towns, and counties across the country to invest over $15 billion in public safety and violence prevention. Communities have invested those funds to expand community violence prevention and intervention, add crisis responders and police officers, and more. And in addition to key investments for schools to expand mental health services and violence intervention programs, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) provides $250 million in funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives.
We are already seeing the positive impacts of the President’s actions to prevent and reduce crime and gun violence nationwide. Cities around the country are experiencing historic declines in violent crime, and preliminary data show murders down nationally 13% from 2022 to 2023. By comparison, during the final year of the prior administration in 2020, the United States saw the largest increase in murders ever recorded. We have also seen key provisions of the BCSA begin to deliver results in making communities safer, including enhanced background check provisions that have enabled the Department of Justice to stop more than 600 illegal gun purchases by prohibited persons under 21 years old, and the first ever federal gun trafficking and straw purchasing law.
These are just a few examples of the progress that is being made under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris to protect our communities, schools and children, and end the epidemic of gun violence.
