Americans Buy Guns To Feel Safe

A nationwide survey of 2,477 adults found that 78.8% of Americans who own guns do so for protection. Gun owners in Stand Your Ground states were more likely to carry firearms in public compared to other states. Women and racial minorities were more likely to own a gun for protection. 98.8% of Black and Asian women who owned a firearm did so for safety. “The simultaneous relaxing of concealed carry laws and strengthening self-defense laws may be reinforcing firearm behaviors for protection, particularly carriage in public places,” researchers from the University of Michigan wrote. According to this study, 65 million Americans own guns for self-defense purposes. (Study Finds)