“These forms of intimate partner gun violence are distinct because, often, if you isolate one incident from the full relationship history it can seem innocuous. This is by design. Take this example: After an argument or an incident of violence, the abuser gets their gun and methodically dissembles, clean, reassembles it at the kitchen table. Maybe they comment on their marksmanship. The survivor knows that this is an express threat. Without a word, the abuser is saying, “I am in control and I can kill you at any moment.” But if the survivor was to relay just that interaction to police, a friend, a healthcare worker, etc. they may very well fail to see the imminent danger in it. It is exactly these sorts of abuses, and failures to understand the risk they indicate, that lead us to the devastating homicide statistics …

A solid body of research around intimate partner firearm homicides exists. It does not, however, paint the picture of what survivors live with every day. In 2025, BWJP conducted a series of in-depth interviews with 25 survivors of intimate partner gun violence. The discussions focused on gathering a detailed understanding of how survivors are experiencing intimate partner gun violence and how those experiences are shaping their perception of their safety and making decisions based on it. The goal was to understand the gap between what the legal system and victim services offer to survivors and what they believe they need to stay safe.”

“And, you know, a lot of people saying, why didn’t you just go? But they don’t realize how much scarier it feels when you know there’s a gun in the house. And lemme just say it’s like the constant shadow. Even when he wasn’t holding it, I knew it was there.”

-Survivor of intimate partner violence