ODVV Supports IANSA Gun Free Initiation

Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate the love in our lives. This February 14th, the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) which is a global movement against gun violence that links hundreds of organizations working to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, invites its members to join in advocating for a Gun Free Valentine’s Day, an initiative launched by IANSA member Gun Free South Africa (GFSA) to raise awareness of the risks of having a gun in the home, intimate partner violence (IPV), and how effective laws can save lives. 

In some countries, gun ownership is viewed as a sign of strength and masculinity. However, it is well documented that a gun in the home does not make people, especially women, safer. In reality, a gun makes a home much more dangerous. Women are at a higher risk of intimidation, violence and death in the domestic sphere and this is especially so when there is access to a firearm in the home. The current global pandemic is worsening the situation. The measures to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, such as quarantine, isolation or social distancing, and restrictions imposed on mobility, have exacerbated the violence against women, girls and adolescents that occurs in homes.
Unfortunately, in some parts of Iran, there are still civilians who keep small arms in the home, which can have dangerous consequences. Recently, in Kermanshah province, due to a family dispute, the use of small arm caused the death of three people. Therefore, the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV), while trying to increase its awareness raising on the risks of having a gun in the home, also asks the authorities to establish more restrictive laws in this regard, in addition to further monitoring the issue of weapons possession.