Suicide by firearms among youth in the United States highest in 20 years: Report

In recent days, multiple, mass shootings have shaken up America and the topic of firearms and their negative aspects have once again come to light. A new gun violence prevention report by Everytown for Gun Safety has now shed light on the rising cases of firearm suicides among the youth of the country. Over the last ten years, suicides among young people using firearms have increased faster than among any other age group.As per the report, youth firearm suicide has reached its highest in more than 20 years.Youth in this scenario is defined as people between the ages of 10 to 24. The suicide rate among this age group has steadily increased every year since 2007 and is now at a near-record high.

As per the report, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young Americans.

It further points out that multiple factors can elevate the risk of suicide and action needs to be taken to address it. Increased anxiety and depression exasperated by the Coronavirus pandemic, impacts of social media, and cyberbullying has been theorised as the driving factors behind this.

"But one thing is clear: Reducing access to firearms can significantly reduce risk."

"Given that firearm suicide makes up over one-third of all youth gun deaths and nearly half of suicides among young people, addressing firearm suicide is an essential element of any strategy to reduce suicide and gun violence in this country."

The report also points out that the high suicide rate occurs at a time when gun purchases are on the rise in the United States.

Watch |Texas school massacre: 'More kids die because of guns than motor crashes'

"Driven by fear and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic" an estimated 22 million guns in 2020, which is a 64 per cent increase over 2019 figures.

Despite the fact that nearly three out of every four firearm suicides by young people occur at or near home, and 80 per cent of them by children aged 18 or younger involve a family member's gun, the report estimates that 30 million children in America live in households with firearms. A 4.6 million of these children live in households with at least one loaded and unlocked firearm.

"Addressing the role of firearms is essential in suicide prevention. We know that removing access to firearms is the easiest and quickest intervention to reduce risk."

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