We are sharing statistics regarding suicide involving guns, but it is always important to remember that these statistics represent real human beings. We take action to honor them and reduce the number of people impacted by suicide in the future.

In Wisconsin

  • Roughly 65% of gun deaths in Wisconsin are due to suicide.6
  • 530 Wisconsinites died by gun suicide in 2022.7
  • In 2021, the veteran suicide rate in Wisconsin was nearly 52% higher than the suicide rate of all adults.8
  • The gun suicide rate in Wisconsin has increased by nearly 80% since 2004.9

Gun Suicide In the United States

  • Rural areas experience disproportionate rates of gun suicide.4 Among male farmers, the suicide rate is 58% higher than the national suicide rate for all males.5
  • In 2020, an average of approximately 17 veterans died by suicide each day. A gun was used in 71% of those suicides.
  • Every day in America, we lose an average of 63 people to gun suicide.
Fact box

Fact: Gun violence is NOT a “city problem.”

Some people think of gun violence as happening primarily in cities and urban centers. However, rural areas often struggle with similar rates of gun violence. In Wisconsin, the two counties with the highest gun death rate are in rural areas.

Means Matter

  • Ninety percent of suicide attempts using a gun are fatal, making the use of a gun a uniquely lethal method.1
  • Suicide attempts with a gun are at least 40 times as likely to result in death as attempts made by ingesting drugs or poison or by cutting.10
  • 90% of people who survive their first suicidal act do not die by suicide later. 70% never attempt suicide again.11
  • Removing the most lethal means of suicide makes it more likely a person will survive a potential suicide attempt, which means temporary gun removal can save lives.12
  • Having a gun accessible at home increases the risk that an individual will die by suicide by 300%.13
June 2023 press conference to announce the release of several gun bills in the Wisconsin state legislature. The bills included an extreme risk bill, which is shown to help prevent gun suicide.

Solutions

Because suicidal acts are often impulsive and fleeting, preventing access to guns is crucial. Extreme risk laws effectively reduce gun violence in places where it is implemented. 

Safe storage is another important practice for those who do have guns in their homes. Safe storage means keeping guns locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition. 

Maybe add waiting periods? Gun Shop Project if it becomes worthy of a tab on our website? Not sure about this bc they aren’t our policy priorities, and it seems like we should stick to policy priorities on our site.

Need Help?

If you or a loved one need help, there are so many resources available. You are not alone, and the world needs you.

Source Information