CHESTER’S MENTORING INITIATIVE
May 2024
Our featured speaker was Grant Mauer of CeaseFire PA, a gun violence prevention organization that provides education on responsible gun ownership, actively supports legislative changes, and speaks to groups on relevant action steps.
Grant shared the following insights and more:
Individual policies can substantially reduce violence and harm caused by guns.
Guns should be stored locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition. A policy mandating that this being considered this summer.
Preventing kids’ access to guns through safe storage reduces accidents and access in moments of personal crisis.
62% of deaths by guns are suicides; blocking access to a gun can save lives because guns are so much more fatal than other methods of suicide. Reduced access adds potentially life-saving time and another thought process for those who are in a moment of crisis. The limited access might even remind them that if their attempt is successful, that gun would then be accessible to a child, and that momentary thought could deter them from taking their own life. Suicide survivors tend to live well beyond the moment of crisis that leads to a suicide attempt.
Sheriff’s offices often give away gun locks.
The next largest form of gun violence, causing 35% of deaths, is homicide. Black men in PA are 21 times more likely to die by guns than any other demographic. This is a public health crisis.
Community efforts work, even when legislature doesn’t.
Mass shootings (defined as having 4+ victims) are rare at only 5% of shooting deaths, but sadly, affected communities may never recover. There is a mass shooting in PA every ten days, and two times per day nationwide.
Half of all mass shooters leak their plans ahead of time. If you believe that someone is an extreme risk to him/herself or others, you can go to the authorities to get a hearing. The authorities can remove their firearms for a time, and another hearing can address it again later if the crisis continues.
Domestic violence is five times more likely to end in homicide if there is a gun in the house.
A mandatory reporting law for lost/stolen gums would have a 46% reduction in violence because many “lost/stolen” guns are actually a part of an illegal trafficking process known as straw purchasing that gets guns to those ineligible for buying them directly.
Gun safety policies poll at 70-80 percent of public support; Ceasefire tries to leverage public advocacy. Losing hope is what the other side hopes for!
To learn more or to get involved, please contact:
Grant Maurer (he/him)
CeaseFirePA Southeast Organizer
c: (215) 923-3151, ext.700
Chester’s Mentoring Initiative proposes that we, Chester’s individuals, organizations and institutions, come together to collectively respond to the community’s needs with quality programming that provides access to positive health, education, and economic outcomes. Our group consists of 170+ individuals representing groups that mentor Chester’s children. We meet monthly by Zoom to learn from a relevant speaker, and from each other.
Learn more at https://cuys.org/mentoring