More Americans Own Guns for Personal Protection than Ever Before #

A recent survey reveals that more Americans own guns for personal protection than ever before. Gun sales surged during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to an increase in gun-related deaths. In 2021, the US recorded the highest number of gun-related injuries on record, with 48,830 deaths. Data from the 2021 National Firearms Survey shows that approximately 7.5 million American adults became new gun owners during the pandemic, and a majority of them previously lived in homes without guns.

According to the survey, nearly 80% of gun owners acquired a firearm for personal protection. This proportion appears to have risen over the past 25 years. However, it is important to note that no single study has accurately tracked the reasons for gun ownership over time. Nevertheless, studies conducted between 2017 and 2021 suggest that between 60% and 70% of gun owners cited protection as their primary motivation.

Sociologist Dr. David Yamane attributes this trend to the social upheaval experienced in the 1960s, where people sought personal safety amidst widespread social unrest, political movements, and cultural changes. The events of 2020, including the Covid-19 pandemic, protests following the murder of George Floyd, the highly contentious presidential election, and the Capitol insurrection, created a sense of uncertainty that led many people to turn to firearms for a sense of security.

The gun industry has also played a role in promoting the use of firearms for personal protection. “Stand your ground” laws, which allow the use of deadly force in self-defense, have been advocated for by the industry since the 1980s. However, research suggests that individuals who own guns or live with gun owners are generally at higher risk of dying by homicide.

A recent survey conducted by the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention at the University of Michigan aimed to understand whether motivations and ownership of guns varied in states with “stand your ground” laws. The survey found that protection was reported as the most important reason for owning a firearm by 79% of respondents. While the presence of “stand your ground” laws did not increase the likelihood of carrying a gun for protection, gun owners in those states were more likely to carry outside their homes.

Gender, race, and ethnicity were strong predictors of whether a person carried a gun for protection, with women, Black, and Hispanic individuals more likely to own guns for personal security reasons. Notably, almost all Black and Asian women who owned guns (98%) reported carrying them for protection.