TriggerChange

TriggerChange

Your voice is ammunition

The Cause

Canada is one of only a few nations in the world to have moved backwards with our gun reform. We have seen a staggering rise in gun violence and shooting deaths in the last five years. The federal government has long promised to ban handguns. We need a national ban on handguns, not a municipal or provincial one. It’s time to make our voices heard and urge our government to do the right thing. This is our moment to trigger change. We are calling on all of you who believe in a country without gun violence to contact your MP and demand a national ban on handguns.

WHY GUN CONTROL IS A WOMEN’S ISSUE

Research consistently shows that women are more likely than men to be killed by an intimate partner and that guns are the most commonly used weapon in such killings. This is even more evident in rural intimate femicides.

Shooting is the most common method in intimate femicides. On average, one in three women killed by their husbands are shot; most (80%) of them with legally owned rifles and shotguns. One of the strongest risk factors for women remains whether the perpetrator has access to a gun and perpetrator’s previous threat with a weapon.

All advances, at least in reducing murders of women, are a result of the decline in murders of women with guns. A significant decrease in the use of firearms in spousal homicide can be noted as progressive gun control legislations were introduced in Canada. While the average rate of women murdered by firearm has reduced by 46% for the 10-year period before and after the Firearms Act was implemented, the average rate of women murdered without a firearm for the same period declined only by 25%.

Legally owned, easily accessible rifles and shotguns are the guns of choice in intimate partner violence. Controlling the availability of firearms is fundamental to public safety, especially the safety of women and children, as impulsivity and ease of access play major roles in domestic homicides. Women’s safety experts and front-line women’s organizations have repeatedly spoke out on the importance of gun control in protecting women at risk of intimate partner violence.

A firearm in the home dramatically increases the risk of death in domestic violence situation. Coroners have consistently identified access to firearms as one of the top five to ten risk factors determining whether a woman will die in domestic violence situations.

While homicide is the most extreme form of gun violence, gun violence often takes the form of intimidation, control and coercion. A gun doesn’t need to be fired to inflict psychological damage and trauma.

Don't Dodge The Issue

It’s easy to feel disconnected from gun violence when you are not directly affected. That’s why we’ve created a web-app that calculates the distance between your location and a past shooting in Toronto. Whether we think about it or not, we’ve all dodged a bullet. It’s time to stop dodging the issue and to demand action from your local MP. Watch the video below and visit dodgethebullet.ca.

Share The Message:

Your Voice is the Ammunition

Speaking out is the first step towards change. Hear from Canadians, just like you, who’ve experienced gun violence and are using their voices to trigger change.

Share The Message:

SPEAK OUT

Contact your MP and tell them why you support a national handgun ban.

SHARE YOUR SUPPORT

Gun violence doesn’t discriminate. It’s an issue we all must face and we need your support to spread awareness. Please share one of the posters below to the platform of your choice and help us tell Canadians that it’s time to #triggerchange.