GUN VIOLENCE DURING MEDIaTIONS

Mediators are careful to protect the physical safety of participants throughout all mediation sessions.

This is why many are conducted in locations with a security presence. Even so, tragic events do happen. For example, during a business-related mediation, a man calmly opened his brief case, took out a hand gun, shot and wounded the other party. In another case, an ex-husband waiting in line to enter a courthouse for a custody mediation shot and killed his former wife.

The United States has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership. With less than 5% of the world’s population, U.S. residents own 40% of civilian-owned guns. The Small Arms Survey estimates there are over 120 guns per 100 people in the U.S., compared to, for example, 35 guns per 100 people in Canada.

Surveys by the Pew Research Center show that 42% of the U.S. population live in households with a gun. 40% of men and 25% of women say they own a gun. As for the reasons, 72% say protection is a major factor.

According to the Rockefeller Institute of Government, 95% of the perpetrators of mass shooters have been male and 54.5% White.