Our Partners
Related Tools

Reducing the risk of violence through small arms

Last edited: July 03, 2013

This content is available in

Options
Options
  1. Lobby to change laws: Disarm perpetrators of domestic violence. Lobby for gun laws that prohibit ownership by domestic violence offenders, and for domestic violence laws that require the removal of guns. At a minimum, police should be required to consult the spouse or former spouse before approving a gun license application. Australia, Canada, South Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago are among the countries that have harmonized their legal frameworks on gun licensing and domestic violence. Such laws both shape and reflect values, specifically reinforcing values of nonviolence; they can also make a real difference.
  2. Require all guns to be stored safely: Gun owners should be required to store guns securely and to keep the ammunition in a separate place. In Belarus guns must be kept in locked boxes, disassembled and unloaded, with the ammunition stored separately.
  3. Implement trade-in programmes: Individuals may be willing to voluntarily give-up their weapons, sometimes in exchange for something else valuable to them, such as food, amenities, services, etc.