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Resource Center

Welcome to the Washington CeaseFire Resource Center!

In 2002 the World Health Organization declared violence a public health epidemic. In the same year, Professor David Hemenway, Director of the Injury Prevention Program at Harvard University urged citizens, policy makers, doctors, educators and public health officials to re-cast the gun issue in its proper light as a public health problem. Professor Hemenway urged that we de-politicize the issue of gun violence -- that the issue was not about taking guns away, but rather about identifying the risk factors of firearm injury and death and mitigating them.

Firearm violence takes a grave toll on the health of our communities.  According to the Center for Disease Control's Leading Causes of Death Reports, from age birth until age 65 firearms are consistently among the top ten leading causes of death in our communities. And among our young people aged 15-24 firearms rank in the top three leading causes of death. Firearms take twice as many lives as AIDS does each year.

We can use the information available through our public health officials to understand the epidemic of gun violence and find new solutions. The Statistics portion of our Resource Center is designed to be a tool for all of you to find in one place up-to-date information about firearms in your local community, Washington State, the United States and Internationally.

Firearms intensify and increase fatalities in youth and school violence, domestic violence and suicide. But disability and loss of life by firearms is not inevitable. We can reduce firearm injury and death.  Preventing firearm violence is just like preventing diabetes or heart disease. It has many working parts and many simple, pro-active solutions. But it all boils down to three general areas of intervention: research, prevention and treatment.

Through research, prevention and treatment we can reduce the risk of firearm injury in Washington State and the United States. Lowering the risk of firearm injury and death through sensible public campaigns and policy solutions leads to safer kids, safer families and safer communities.

Find out how you can join us in our fight to reduce gun violence.

Learn more about what you can do to prevent gun violence.