The Mental Effects of Gun Violence Essay Example

In the article “The Impact of Gun Violence on Children, Families, & Communities” by Julie Collins and Emily Swoveland, they state gun violence has risen to the forefront of public consciousness. Gun violence affects more than just the victims, it affects the mental health of young children, the mental health of those who hear about gun violence, and the mental health of the families of the victims.

According to the article, most communities observed that the use of guns is in response to fear, “They pointed out that children and youth living in violent neighborhoods feel at risk; without nonviolent conflict-resolution skills, they too readily depend on guns to solve problems” (Collins and Swoveland). It is also stated in the article, that the over exposure towards guns and gun violence will desensitize youths and make them more prone to gun violence, “exposure to gun violence also can desensitize youth to the effects of violence and increase the likelihood that they will use violence as a means of resolving problems or expressing emotions” (Collins and Swoveland). The authors state that they and the people at the CWLA have been working with the families of communities to help prevent violence from affecting them. Collins and Swoveland also suggest that neighbors should connect and oppose violence which would help prevent violence on a much larger scale.

According to Collins and Swoveland, gun violence has been on the rise for the past few years. Due to the rise in gun gun violence, Collins and Swoveland state, “While individuals killed and injured in atrocities such as the Sandy Hook and Aurora Theater shootings are publicly remembered and mourned, victims of these tragedies are not limited to those men, women, and children killed, injured, or present during these horrific events” (Collins and Swoveland). The authors are stating that the families of the victims of gun violence are also the victims. In the article, the authors state, “With more than 25% of children witnessing an act of violence in their homes, schools, or community over the past year, and more than 5% witnessing a shooting, it becomes not just an issue of gun regulation, but also of addressing the impact on those who have been traumatized by such violence“ (Collins and Swoveland). The authors believe that the families of the victims/those who witness gun violence have a high chance of getting psychological trauma. Without the exposure to violence and aggression, Collins and Swoveland believe there would be a decline in mental illnesses in adults and young children. 

Gun violence has a greater mental effect on young children than it does on adults. In the article, it states, “CWLA’s National Blueprint points out that children and youth exposed to chronic trauma can experience inhibited brain development, producing a lasting impact on life outcomes” (Collins and Swoveland). The children who are affected by gun violence have a high chance of getting trauma because they lack “nonviolent conflict-resolution skills” (Collins and Swoveland). According to Collins and Swoeland, the children who see and/or a victim of aggression can adopt what they see, “When adults exhibit aggressive and violent behavior, such behavior is often interpreted as appropriate and acceptable” (Collins and Swoveland). This suggests that the circle of violence would continue and cause more gun violence. One of the ways the authors suggest parents should do to prevent further violence is to, “that parents must be assisted in accessing the social services necessary to strengthen protective factors, build resiliency, help their children regulate their emotions, develop coping skills, and provide physical and psychological safety” (Collins and Swoveland). By doing this the authors believe that it would help reduce the amount of gun violence that could happen.

Throughout the article the term “concerns” is repeated. The authors used this word because it implies that the effects of gun violence can get worse if something is not done. They use the word “concerns” to appeal to the audience's emotions. By appealing to the emotions of the audience, the authors convey that they are serious about the topic.

In the article, Julie Collins and Emily Swoveland go into great detail about how gun violence affects everyone mentaly. They talk about how in response to the fear of gun violence we as a community resort to more gun violence. Julie Collins and Emily Swoveland provide information on how guns affect not only the victims but families of the victims and those who hear about it. Collins and Swoveland believe that they can not solve this issue on their own, however they believe that other organizations, that want to put an end to the effects of gun violence, should come together and help each other with the cause. 

Works Cited

The Impact of Gun Violence on Children, Families, & Communities Collins, Julie. “The Impact of Gun Violence on Children, Families, & Communities.” CWLA, 2013, https://www.cwla.org/the-impact-of-gun-violence-on-children-families-communities/