Advocates Say Gun Violence Is A Threat To Public Health

Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the United States. Each year, guns kill more than 38,000 people and cause nearly 85,000 injuries nationwide.

In King County, in 2023, 85% of the shooting victims were male, 22% were between 18-24 years of age, and 73% were people of color. Gun violence is the number one killer of children and teens.

The growing trends as it relates to gun violence are so alarming that Public Health Seattle-King County has declared it a public health issue, and in October 2023 led to the establishment of the Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention (ROGVP), to support community-led solutions to gun violence.

In partnership with local communities, the ROGVP looks to amplify, elevate, fund, resource, develop, and build the infrastructure for community intervention to be a part of a holistic public safety ecosystem.

According to Eleuthera Lisch, who leads Public Health – Seattle & King County’s new Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention (ROGVP), the office believes the communities that have historically experienced the most harm is also the community that is best position to have the best solutions to combat gun violence. ROGVP’s initiatives include deploying community violence interrupters who work on the ground to mediate conflicts and connect those at risk with crucial support services. These interrupters, according to ROGVP, play a vital role in de-escalating potentially violent situations before they escalate, providing a critical preventative measure against gun violence.

“We recognize gun violence as a public health issue and gun violence sits at an intersection of a public health and racism,” says Lisch.

“Recognizing that community violence interrupters, outreach workers who can mediate tension, who can de-escalate tensions, who can help connect young people and others who are most likely to be involved in conflict, to connect them to meaningful care and services. There is a lot of incredible community work happening, there is a lot of coordination,” she continued. “We are really working hard to develop a coordinated regional approach and recognize that gentrification has displaced folks all over out of the city limits of Seattle, out into communities where we need to ensure these services are also available. Gun violence respects no boundaries or borders.”

The office’s strategy extends beyond immediate intervention. It collaborates closely with local and state entities, including Seattle’s Safe and Thriving Communities Division and the state’s Office of Firearm Injury and Violence Prevention. This collaboration aims to foster a coordinated regional response that addresses the root causes of gun violence, such as socioeconomic factors and systemic racism.

One innovative aspect of the ROGVP’s approach is its support for hospital-based interventions. Programs like the one at Harborview Medical Center meet victims right at the point of care, offering counseling and support to prevent retaliation and further violence. These interventions are part of a broader effort to integrate public health perspectives into the fight against gun violence, viewing it through the lens of community health and safety.

“We have been doing the work as of October 2023 and less than six months in we are building on initiatives that we started before we were an official office,” Lisch explains. “The goal from public health standpoint is to recognize that we all have a role to play and that no one entity or community can solve this, not law enforcement, no one can solve this on their own and our office is helping to illuminate and to make sure everybody understands that it takes everyone to do it, that we each play a unique role.”

But, according to Lisch one of the most important aspects of their initiative is the return on investment from the providers that they work with.

“What is important to know is what the community providers do with the funding,” says Lisch. “What they are doing is outreach and engagement every day. They are out in communities, connecting, providing services, at schools and popup community events that provide services through traditional case management and after care helping to teach people to navigate the services available to them.”

Public awareness campaigns also play a crucial role in the ROGVP’s strategy. The office has launched campaigns that are visible throughout the community, including messages on public buses and at community events, designed to engage the public and spread information about available resources and support.

“We really believe in the adage that “none of us are safe unless all of us are safe,” says Lisch. “So, if we are talking about a whole population, I don’t think of good guy, bad guy, I don’t think of perpetrator or victim. Its complex and multifaceted and all of it has to work in tandem if we are ultimately going to reduce gun violence.”