Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106213

Susan B. Sorenson, PhD, School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences Dept, University of California Los Angeles, Box 951772, Violence Prevention Research Group, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, (310) 825-8749, sorenson@ucla.edu

Background. Federal law prohibits a person against whom a restraining order (aka order of protection, stay-away order) has been issued from purchasing or possessing a firearm. The present investigation examines whether members of the general public support the idea of actively removing firearms from such persons. Method. Over 25,000 experimental vignettes (scenarios) were read to 3,679 participants in a random-digit-dial survey. The interviews were conducted in four languages with multiple ethnic groups in California. Results. In almost all (97.6%) of the vignettes, the abusive behavior was judged to be wrong. Although the behavior was thought to be illegal or should be illegal in a substantial majority of the vignettes (76.0% and 79.7%, respectively), far fewer were judged to merit arrest (51.4%) or the issuance of a restraining order (57.4%). The removal of firearms, by contrast, was a preferred intervention (86.1%). Multivariate analyses indicated greater support for intervention when the abuse included threats or any sexual or physical assault, when a weapon was available, and when the abuse was recurring. Respondent characteristics associated with elevated odds for supporting firearm removal were being Black, Hispanic, or Korean American and having been born outside the U.S. One vignette characteristic (male victim – female assailant) and two respondent characteristics (male, high income) were associated with significantly lowered odds of supporting firearm removal. Conclusions. The general public appears to support the active removal of firearms from batterers. This sentiment is consistent with just-enacted California law but goes beyond existing firearm prohibitions in federal law.

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