Recognizing June 7 as Gun Violence Awareness Day, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is highlighting the importance of available tools in reducing incidents of gun violence in California communities.
A Gun Violence Restraining Order, or GVRO, is a temporary action taken by a local court when someone is at risk or causing harm to themself or others. The individual in crisis receiving the order cannot purchase or possess firearms or ammunition while the order is in place. These temporary orders empower Californians to intervene, protect the rights of individuals in crisis and are not considered punishment under the law.
The Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis Health released a study highlighting the need for increased public support and awareness about Gun Violence Restraining Orders and in 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new website that provides critical information and multilingual, culturally competent materials on how Californians can use Gun Violence Restraining Orders.
The website, GunSafety.ca.gov also provides fact sheets and explainers to spread accurate and credible information about life-saving tools and make it easier for Californians to request a Gun Violence Restraining Order. To further promote equitable access to this tool, all of the resources have been trans-created into the eight most commonly spoken languages in California: English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Cantonese), Vietnamese, Tagalog/Filipino, Korean and Armenian.
In California, Gun Violence Restraining Orders were used to prevent 58 threatened mass shootings between 2016 and 2019 and have shown immense promise in reducing the incidence of firearm suicide.