Gun violence in America is more than our concern over mass
shootings and the more than 8000 homicides that occur each year. The following statistics
point us to the sobering subject of suicide and its correlation to guns.
·
Over
36,000 people in the US die by suicide each year.
·
Of
US suicides, over half are caused by guns
·
The
Brady Campaign reports that guns are used in 20,000 suicides each year
·
Suicide
is the 10th leading cause of death in the US
·
Every
day approximately 100 Americans take their own life
·
Ninety
percent of all people who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric
disorder
·
There
are four male suicides for every female suicide
In
a study written by the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, they say:
Research
shows that a gun in the home makes a suicide three times more likely than for
homes without guns. There are few reasons why the presence of a gun in the home
is a risk factor for suicide. First is the surprising impulsivity of many
suicide attempts. Guns are also so much more lethal than other methods. Most
people who survive a suicide attempt do not go on to die by suicide. But because
guns are so effective, only one in 10 people who attempt suicide by a gun get
that second chance.
Redemption and the opportunity to start anew are at the
core of Christian faith. For 20,000 Americans each year, that is not possible.
