MADISON- WI: Today, Representative Shelia Stubbs introduced legislation to create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) released the following statement:
“Gun violence is more than a criminal justice or safety issue- it is an urgent public health crisis. Unlimited access to firearms has exacerbated existing issues of domestic abuse, interpersonal conflict, and crime. Across the nation, we witness the tragic loss of life due to firearms every day. This violence is absolutely unacceptable and preventable. There are proven ways to mitigate this senseless violence, we just have to act. I am beyond sick and tired of seeing innocent lives taken in highly preventable incidents. Whether it’s mandating background checks, 48hr waiting period, safely storing the firearm, or analyzing the root causes of gun violence, we need to act now. Today, I am doing just that by introducing legislation to create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
This is an issue affecting every single American and every single Wisconsinite. Gun violence haunts every corner of our society – schools, college campuses, places of worship, grocery stores, night clubs, concerts, theaters, parks and more. In 2023, there have been more mass shootings the U.S. than there have been days. Wisconsin especially has felt a disproportionate expansion in its burden of grief – the rate of gun violence in our state has increased in the last decade by an astonishing 62%, compared to the national increase of 39%. This is unfathomable and undeniably sickening. We as Wisconsinites cannot let another day go by without addressing this issue.
In Wisconsin, 65% of gun deaths are due to suicide, averaging about 443 deaths per year. While many people associate gun violence with urban cities like Milwaukee, it plagues every community in the state, with rural areas being most affected. In fact, Iron County has the highest gun-related deaths in the state, followed by Menominee and Jackson Counties. The majority of these tragic incidents are suicides. Recent data and trends tell us that the rate of these unnecessary deaths is only going to rise—unless we act now.
Adopting an Office for Gun Violence Prevention not only recognizes the threat gun violence poses to the residents of our state, but also shows our commitment to racial justice in Wisconsin. Anyone is susceptible to gun violence, yet it disproportionately affects communities of color, especially in Wisconsin. Nationally, Black individuals are 12 times more likely to die by gun homicide compared to their white counterparts. The numbers for Wisconsin are even more heartbreaking, as Black Wisconsinites are 32 times more likely to die from gun homicide than white Wisconsinites. Additionally, firearms are now the leading cause of death among children and teens in the nation and in Wisconsin. In our home state, we see 58 children and teens die every year by firearms. Of course, children of color in Wisconsin are even more vulnerable, being 10 times more likely to die by guns than their white peers. I emphasize again- this is unacceptable. We are failing the youth and people of color in this nation. As a mother and a legislator, I am compelled to act on this deadly disparity immediately.
The office will use a public health, evidence-based approach to identify the root causes of gun violence, investigate how gun violence affects specific communities, and address the individual, interpersonal, and community trauma gun violence inflicts. The office will collaborate with the Office of School Safety as well as various community-based organizations, political leaders, faith organizations, and individuals with expertise and lived experience. The overall goal of this office is to administer a written plan every 2 years on how the state will incorporate a public health approach to gun violence prevention programs and services.
We have all seen the devastating and unprecedented amount of gun-related deaths in our nation over the past few years. It is time to make a change. Every individual deserves to be safe from gun violence, regardless of the community in which they reside. This is not just an urban or rural issue; it’s boundless and costing Wisconsinites their lives.
Inaction is complicity, and we can never be complicit when it comes to innocent lives being lost. I am determined to end gun violence and repair the racial disparities in our state. Together we must rise up and take action against gun violence—these preventable deaths must stop. Help me make Wisconsin a safer, more enjoyable place by supporting the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.”
