Chapter 3 - A Matter of Survival: Non-lethal Firearm Violence

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Not all gunshots kill. Many victims survive. This may sound like good news, but the consequences of firearm injuries can be severe. Treatment and recovery place a heavy burden on survivors, their families, communities, and society. Non-lethal firearm violence—often representing narrowly avoided homicide—is far more widespread than firearm death worldwide. Improved knowledge of the incidence and patterns of non-lethal firearm violence would clarify the overall burden of armed violence on society and underpin the development of effective responses. Yet our current understanding of non-lethal firearm injuries is limited, hampered by a lack of data.

This chapter reviews available data on the incidence of non-lethal firearm violence, focusing on interpersonal assaults committed in non-conflict settings. It includes an overview of estimates for countries in which data collection is relatively robust. It also highlights the need for improved incidence and trend monitoring. The main findings indicate that:

• Worldwide, at least two million people—and probably many more—are living with firearm injuries sustained in non-conflict settings over the past decade. Their injuries generate considerable direct and indirect costs, such as those incurred through treatment, recovery, and lost productivity.

• Available data suggests that shooting victims in countries with lower overall levels of firearm violence have a better chance of surviving their injuries.

• Whether a firearm injury leads to severe disability or death is influenced by firearm type, ammunition velocity, and calibre, as well as the availability and quality of medical care, among other factors.

• Robust data on non-lethal firearm violence is still relatively uncommon, and collected data rarely conforms to standardized coding protocol, limiting its comparability. The use of simple forms and relatively inexpensive injury surveillance techniques would greatly improve available information.