June is Gun Violence Awareness Month, a time to draw attention to the gruesome gun violence that plagues our country.  In an average year, 770 people die and 1,036 people are wounded by guns in Kentucky alone. 63% of those gun deaths are suicides and 31% are homicides. This leaves Kentucky at having the 23rd highest rate of gun violence in the United States. 

Witnessing and or experiencing violence has negative impacts on all of us, which is why we need to speak out on such issues and protect young ones from witnessing such violence. When children under the age of 18 witness stressful or traumatic events, such as school shootings, these are considered to be adverse childhood experiences or ACE’s, which impacts the healthy development of children. 

Since 2020, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teens. Many groups across the nation have come together to work on putting an end to gun violence entirely and to establish research-based approaches to prevent it. One group includes Chicago teens who refused to be silent in the face of gun violence. In 2013, their 15-year-old friend, Hadiya Pendleton, was shot and lost her life. As a result, the #WearOrange Campaign was launched. Her death started the movement that has prompted the nation to wear the color orange and host events to end gun violence.

No one is immune to gun violence, so what can you do to take action? 

There are many ways to get involved in violence prevention, below are just a few ideas to get you started: 

  • Learn and share the warning signs of violence. Gun violence is preventable when you are aware of the signs so recognize them, take it seriously, and say something! 
  • Get tips on how you can improve your community and create lasting change to prevent violence.
  • Request a Bounce training for your organization or community to learn about the impact of childhood adversity and how to build resilience in kids and families.
  • Learn about school safety and the impact of community violence on our youngest Kentuckians in a previous Bounce Grand Rounds virtual event.
  • Find a gun violence prevention event near you this June.

Lastly, talk to your local, state, and federal representatives about the importance of addressing gun violence and gun safety legislation.