Press Release
Posted:
Washington – Today, House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) recognized the beginning of the fourth annual National Gun Violence Survivors Week which runs from February 1 through February 7. This week indicates the approximate time that gun deaths in the United States surpass the number of gun deaths experienced by peer countries in an entire calendar year.
“Every day, more than 110 Americans lose their lives to gun violence, touching the lives of thousands of their family and loved ones,” said Thompson. “Gun violence leaves a significant mark on the survivors and during National Gun Violence Survivors’ Week, we must recognize the pain and trauma that they experience even years after the initial trauma. This week, I am thinking about all those who have been impacted by gun violence and strive to spread awareness about this important week of recognition.”
“The gun violence prevention movement is guided by survivors, inspired by their courage, and driven to fight for a world where no one else should have to feel the pain that they’ve gone through,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “Over half of all Americans have had their lives impacted by gun violence either personally or through a loved one. As we kick off National Gun Violence Survivors Week, we're so grateful for our champions in Congress like Chairman Thompson and all those on the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force who continue to center their work around survivors and fight to end the gun violence epidemic.”
“By turning their pain into action, survivors of gun violence have turned the gun safety movement into a force to be reckoned with. Chairman Thompson is one of the leading voices for gun safety in Congress, and as we begin National Gun Violence Survivors Week, we’re grateful for his unrelenting efforts to pass common sense laws to prevent gun violence,” said John Feinblatt, President, Everytown for Gun Safety.
The United States is a nation of survivors: 58 percent of American adults or someone they care for have personally experienced gun violence in their lifetimes, and gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in America. Among Black and Latino Americans, 68 percent of adults or someone they care for have personally experienced gun violence in their lifetimes. Every year, more than 40,000 Americans lose their lives to gun violence.