A New Chapter of Hope and Healing with Visioning Beyond Violence

The Current State of Harm from Gun Violence

Every day, an average of 125 people are killed by guns in the United States, while more than 200 others are shot and wounded. In 2023 alone, almost 47,000 Americans lost their lives to gun violence. These are not just numbers. Behind them are stories of how gun violence has forever altered the lives of millions: children who have developed chronic anxiety, families that are left shattered and communities that face a loss in safety and trust. 

The damage does not just end at the physical level with the loss of life, it perpetuates mentally as well. If this unhealed trauma is not dealt with properly it can spread and cause more loss, creating a vicious cycle. Due to this, gun violence has long term effects that are carrying on to the next generation. This leads to children and teenagers being among those most profoundly affected by this crisis. 

Therefore it is imperative that we take action to safeguard our youth so that they can reach their full potential and shape a better and brighter future for themselves and generations to come. To understand how we can best support young people, we must first uncover exactly in which ways they are being harmed and what impact that has on them. 

The Different Forms and Effects of Gun Violence 

The category of armed violence people are most aware of, as it gets the most news

coverage, is mass shootings. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2024), the United States has experienced 57 times more school shootings than all other major industrialised nations combined, with cases on school grounds reaching record highs in recent years. Another form of gun violence affecting the youth tremendously is suicide. This is in part a result of the homicides committed with guns, as they lead to mental deterioration. When the emotional weight becomes unbearable some choose to end their lives. Accidental shootings, for instance due to neglected firearm storage, are another facet of the larger issue, which is often not thought of but does have severe consequences. 

Together these different types of firearm misuses have led to gun injuries becoming the leading cause of death among children and adolescents for the first time in 2019, surpassing motor vehicle accidents. Each year, more than 4,300 young people are shot and killed, and over 17,000 are wounded, an average of 60 children and teenagers every single day. Around 61% of these deaths are homicides and 30% are suicides, highlighting the external and internal toll that gun violence takes on America’s youth. Beyond those directly harmed, millions more are affected when they lose loved ones or witness violence in their communities, leaving deep psychological scars that manifest as fear, anxiety, and a pervasive sense of unsafety that affects how young people learn, grow, and dream. 

How to Help the Youth 

Breaking this cycle of harm begins with providing young people with the necessary support,

tools and safe spaces in which to heal, express themselves and envision a future beyond violence. The most effective way to help realize this is by contributing and being part of organized initiatives that provide comprehensive and structured solutions. 

An organization that has achieved this is Visioning Beyond Violence. Through a variety of approaches, they are actively addressing and tackling the impact of gun violence on the youth. Their efforts are all centered around the four circles that affect the mental wellbeing of people. The first circle is physical which entails teaching children the effects trauma can have on your body, how to counteract that with exercise, gun safety and injury prevention. The next one is emotional. For this aspect young people are taught how to relay their pent up feelings in useful ways, of which examples are journaling, creating art and conversing with others in an honest and constructive manner. After this comes the spiritual part. Here the focus lies doing things that make you feel at peace, such as meditation, surrounding yourself with a positive community, and helping others by volunteering. Lastly there is of course the mental aspect which revolves around keeping your mind sharp by learning new skills. This is of importance, because it restores a sense of control when children feel powerless regarding the problems they face. With the rebuilt concentration they can then think more solution driven which will help in trying to solve the gun violence issue.  

The activities VBV organizes to train young people in terms of the four circles of well being range from hosting exhibitions and setting up workshops to catalyzing community dialogue and creating panels. By arranging these events the organization gives young people a chance to heal, and imagine change. Additionally, Vision Beyond Violence fosters youth development through teaching young people affected by the issue of gun violence various hard and soft skills that will help them realize the change they want to see. 

Participation in these nationwide events has been extremely fruitful, as 91% of the participants state that they want to help prevent gun violence in their family, school, and community. In a society where polarization has divided people into groups with opposing views, Visioning Beyond Violence brings people together through art and solution based discourse. 95% of their participants attest that they have learned how art, poetry, music, or video can drive change, and 93% increased their ability to listen to others’ ideas about gun violence.

Now Visioning Beyond Violence is opening a new chapter of hope in America with their campaign Healing & Hope. This initiative aims to expand their programmes which are designed to heal trauma, empower young people and prevent violence throughout the entire United States. You, too, can join the movement to create a prosperous and safe future by joining VBV's collective endeavour and donating to the campaign.

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