8 Things to Do to Raise Awareness About the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Gun Violence
10.8.2025
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an opportunity to remember victims and survivors, raise awareness of what domestic violence is, share how to recognize it, and learn what can be done to prevent it.
Domestic violence and gun violence are deeply interconnected, impacting millions of women, families, and communities across the United States. Guns significantly increase the lethality of domestic abuse situations: Access to a firearm makes it five times more likely that an abusive partner will kill his female partner.1Jacquelyn C. Campbell et al., “Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results From a Multisite Case Control Study,” American Journal of Public Health 93, no. 7 (July 2003): 1089–97, https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.93.7.1089.
Help Is Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233, texting “START” to 88788, or chatting online at thehotline.org. Trained advocates are available 24/7 to provide free, confidential assistance to people anywhere in the United States. You can find more resources on legal assistance in English and Spanish at WomensLaw.org.
Click here for additional resources for survivors of domestic violence and intimate partner violence.
Research clearly shows that disrupting abusers’ access to guns can save lives. That’s why Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund created a resource list of actions anyone can take to help. You can take these actions, designed for anyone at any experience level, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month or year-round.
8 Actions to Take for Domestic Violence Prevention and Awareness
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1: Understand Domestic Violence Awareness Month’s Significance
Visit the Everytown Support Fund’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month landing page to learn more about domestic violence awareness and prevention.
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2: Learn the Facts About the Intersection Between Domestic Violence and Gun Violence
Read about the fatal intersections between domestic violence and gun violence and common-sense laws that can help save lives. After you’ve skimmed the page, jot down one new thing that you learned or something that surprised you.
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3: Share Information About Domestic Violence and Gun Violence With Your Network(s)
Download and share our social media graphics to help educate your friends, family, and community members about how domestic violence and gun violence impact countless people nationwide. These graphics also shed light on how BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities are disproportionately affected by the intersection of these crises.
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4: Read and/or Share the Stories of Domestic Violence Survivors
The voices, faces, and stories of survivors put a spotlight on the human toll of domestic violence and gun violence. Hear from survivors of domestic violence involving a firearm by:
- Going to MomentsThatSurvive.org/Stories
- Typing “domestic violence” into the search bar
- Reading the stories that populate in the search results.
Stories are written by survivors and reflect their own words and experiences. Please take care while reading.
Note: People may use different words to describe living through gun violence: Some may use “victim,” others may use “survivor.” Some use neither. Knowing that each person experiences trauma and healing differently, we use the word “survivor“ to acknowledge pain and resilience—and to recognize the unacceptable daily consequences of gun violence that are the reality for too many Americans.
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5: Learn From Domestic Violence Prevention Organizations Across the Country
Since 2020, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund has provided support to 30 local and state domestic violence prevention organizations (and counting). These grants support the critical work of community-led domestic violence and gun violence intervention programs. Visit EverytownSupportFund.org/DV-grantee-stories to see how Domestic Violence Grant Program recipients are supporting survivors and creating change in their communities.
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6: Understand the Dual Tragedies of Domestic Homicide-Suicides with a Firearm
In 2025, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund released a new report examining the immeasurable impact of intimate partner homicide-suicide (IPHS) incidents with a firearm. The report:
- Discusses the prevalence of IPHS nationally
- The unique role of the accessibility of firearms
- Risk factors for IPHS
- The impact on survivors and their families, including children
- Survivors’ experiences in accessing support services
Read this report in honor of survivors who broke their silence and gave voice to the many lives forever changed by the dual tragedies of homicide-suicide. Don’t have time to read the whole thing? The “Key Findings” section below the Executive Summary provides a short overview.
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7: Wear Purple on #PurpleThursday for Domestic Violence Awareness
Wear purple on the third Thursday of October (October 16 in 2025) to honor victims and survivors of domestic violence.
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8: Share Our Resource Guide for Survivors of Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence
Abuse has a ripple effect, impacting children in the home, family members, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and more. If you have been personally impacted by domestic or intimate partner violence, please know that there are resources available to support you. You are not alone, and it is not your fault. Becoming familiar with these resources and being prepared to share them or use them when it is safe to do so can save lives.
Help is available. Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund has compiled a list of resources to support you and/or your loved ones, including:
- National Helplines
- Identity-Based Helplines
- Online Directory Tools
- Resources to Support a Loved One
