Resources

Gun violence has a lasting impact. It can cause emotional, medical, financial, and legal consequences for individuals and communities. These resources can help direct victims and survivors of gun violence to the help they need.

 

This list is not comprehensive. There may be other resources available to you in your community.

Gun Violence Survivors in America

The United States is a nation of gun violence survivors. As this report shows, 59 percent of adults report that they or someone they know or care about have experienced gun violence in their lifetime.

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When the Shooting Stops: The Impact of Gun Violence on Survivors in America

The trauma of gun violence doesn’t end when the shooting stops. Experiencing gun violence has a lasting impact on survivors. Read more about the lasting emotional, physical, legal, and financial impacts on survivors as well as their communities.

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Finding Help

There are many organizations that provide emotional support and assistance to individuals experiencing the effects of a trauma. While Everytown for Gun Safety does not endorse any particular organization, these agencies may be able to help in a crisis, or connect individuals to area community resources.

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Crime Victim Compensation

The Crime Victims’ Compensation (CVC) Program helps crime victims and their immediate families with the financial costs of crime. CVC covers crime-related costs such as counseling, medical treatment, funerals, and loss of income not paid by other sources. Here is general information about the CVC program and eligibility, as well as links to each state crime victims compensation program.

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Navigating the Criminal Justice System

Many survivors have never experienced the criminal justice system and learn quickly that legal case processing is complicated. Understanding how different system agencies work and interact with one another may help survivors to navigate what lies ahead of them.

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Taking Care of Yourself

Provides information about the importance of self care for gun violence survivors, including guidance on how to develop a self care plan.

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Children’s Responses to Trauma

Provides information for parents and adults about how to support children and teens who have experienced a shooting or are upset by images of gun violence.

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Acute Stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

In the aftermath of a shooting, some survivors experience acute stress disorder or post traumatic stress disorder. Here is general information about these disorders, including tips for recognizing the signs and symptoms and effective coping strategies.

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Coping with Traumatic Grief

Here is some information aimed at helping survivors understand how grief after a trauma is different than grief that is anticipated, how to cope with complicated grief and, the recovery process.

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Trauma and Gun Violence

Provides basic information about: the signs and symptoms of emotional and physical trauma, ways to cope with the consequences of trauma and to avoid retraumatization.

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DISCLAIMER. This information does not and cannot constitute or substitute medical, financial or legal advice. Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund is an organization dedicated to educating and bringing awareness around the issue of gun violence prevention, and does not provide advice. These resources merely provide general information and coping tips. More importantly, mental health conditions, financial situations and legal issues are complex, people differ widely in their conditions and responses, and interactions with other conditions and treatments are best evaluated by a physical examination and consultation with a qualified clinician. Everytown suggests that this page is a good starting point to discuss potential needs with a professional.