People abusing their partners wield guns to maintain power and control in their relationships. Even the presence of a gun increases the likelihood of severe injury or fatality: a woman is five times more likely to be killed if the intimate partner causing her harm has access to a gun. This is why domestic violence organizations assess the danger and lethality of a situation in part by determining whether a gun is present.  

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California’s Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVRO) are a lifesaving legal tool that survivors can access. These restraining orders provide survivors with a range of needed protections specific to domestic violence situations, including prohibiting the person causing harm from purchasing or possessing firearms or ammunition. In June 2024, the Supreme Court affirmed that people who are subject to a DVRO cannot legally own guns. In California, law enforcement agencies do not always exercise swift relinquishment procedures, which puts victims at risk.  

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Addressing the risk related to firearms is one component of safety planning for a survivor’s safety. Survivors and their children may also need to access safe housing, navigate custody or visitation with the person causing harm, rebuild their economic stability, navigate ongoing stalking or tracking, and more. Journalists can find further context about gun violence and domestic violence in the guide Preventing & Reducing Gun Violence Injuries and Fatalities: A California Toolkit for Communities, Survivors, and Service Providers.

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