California leads in gun safety, ranking #1 again
California has protection orders that can help keep people safe. These orders give friends, family, and others a way to step in when someone poses a danger to themselves or others. Using protection orders can save lives. Learn how they work and how you can help.
Gun safety laws save lives
Strong gun laws save lives. California has reduced its gun violence rate by adopting nation-leading gun safety laws. If the gun death rate in the rest of the U.S. matched California’s over the past decade, there would have been nearly 140,000 lives saved and potentially hundreds of thousands fewer gunshot injuries, according to the California Department of Justice’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
Every life lost or threatened by a gun is one too many. That’s why California was the first state in the nation to adopt a “red flag law” in 2016. This law builds off a bedrock of available protection orders – 9 in total – that prohibit firearm possession for people subject to orders ranging from domestic violence to workplace harassment. In the first three years of their existence, these protection orders were used to prevent 58 cases of threatened mass shootings. There have been significant increases in utilization of protection orders– increasing by 118% – from 2020 to 2023.
Resources
Please explore the following resources to learn more about protection orders, including who they protect, how they work, and the legal steps involved in getting one. Digital and printable resources are available for your reference and to share with your network.
Help is a phone call away
If you need assistance now, call 911.
If you’re going through a tough time and need someone to talk to, you’re not alone. Help is
just a call or text away. Below are trusted resources available to support you.
988 SUICIDE & CRISIS
LIFELINES
Call or Text 988
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.
NATIONAL DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE HOTLINE
Call
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
24/7 domestic violence crisis counseling, safety planning, and more.
DISASTER DISTRESS
HELPLINE
Call 1-800-985-5590
24/7 crisis counseling for emotional distress related to a disaster.
NATIONAL HELPLINE
Call 1-800-622-HELP (4357)
Free, confidential, 24/7, 365-days-a-year treatment referral, and information service.
REDUCE THE RISK
News & Current Events
Get the latest news about California’s protection orders, gun safety laws,
and other information related to gun violence prevention.
Gun restraining order imposed on Carlsbad man who spoke with mass shooter
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