M. Scott Peck, M.D. begins his book, The Road Less Traveled with a simple sentence. “Life is difficult.” And it is more difficult for those who have witnessed someone being shot or killed. Nightmares flashbacks, anger, frustration, anxiety and feelings that “no place is safe” will change your life. Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D. writes that “trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way mind and brain manage perception. It changes not only how we think and what we think about but also our very capacity to think.” (The Body Keeps the Score, p. 21)
According to pew research.org, the record 48,830 total gun deaths in 2021 reflects a 23% increase since 2019 before the onset of the pandemic. Gun murders increased 45% between 2019 and 2021, while gun suicides rose 12% during that span. Gun deaths among children and teens rose 50% in just two years from 1,732 in 2019 to 2,590 in 2021.
Children and teens who bear the trauma of witnessing gun violence, domestic abuse, and crimes are more likely to use drugs and alcohol. They are more likely to skip school, perform poorly in school, be more distrustful of school administrators, teachers, and those in authority roles and spend less time outdoor getting exercise.
Inequalities exist especially for children of color. Studies show that Black, Brown and Latinx children experience a higher rate of exposure to gun violence because they live in a zip code that has higher levels of poverty and segregation. Whether we like it or not the Black, Brown, Latino children are our children. They are the future. We have a responsibility to safeguard the God-given dignity of each person. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. We have a mandate from God to protect the sanctity of all human life.