Homicides in Rhode Island and Massachusetts show how guns make domestic violence more deadly for pregnant people
The Boston Globe's coverage of a recent murder-suicide in Rhode Island is bringing attention to the heightened risk that domestic violence victims face while pregnant, especially when guns are present in the home.
Last week, 39-year-old Danielle Arruda and her two children were shot and killed by Danielle's husband in their home in West Greenwich, RI. The shooter then turned the gun on himself. Danielle was 7 months pregnant.
Homicide is now the leading cause of death for pregnant people in the US. According to the CDC, 20% of pregnant people experience domestic violence of some kind. And when this violence becomes fatal, firearms are the most common means. Female domestic violence victims are five times more likely to die when a gun is present. In this instance, police found multiple firearms in the Arruda home.
The Globe piece highlights that both RI and MA have experienced multiple DV murder-suicides over the past year. According to our member organization Jane Doe, 7 cases in MA claimed the lives of 9 victims (including 2 children) in 2024. All 9 victims died by firearm. Both states have been dealing with an alarming increase in domestic violence since COVID lockdowns began in 2020. The Globe emphasized that a dramatic reduction in funding for the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) has left many direct service providers struggling to keep up with the increased demand.
That's why we need a two-pronged approach to addressing the intersection of guns and domestic violence. First, we need to make sure that people who are a risk to themselves and others can't access firearms. And second, we must make sure that victims can access the services they need to get help. When we prioritize policy solutions that fund direct service intervention work, we prevent escalating violence, and, ultimately, fewer people die. To prevent gun violence in all its forms, we must invest in survivor safety.
If you or someone you love is struggling with domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233), or visit our member organization Jane Doe's website for more MA resources.
Read the full Globe piece here: https://buff.ly/40nkcA2
The statistic about homicide being the leading cause of death for pregnant people really stayed with me—it's horrifying that firearms make an already dangerous situation so much deadlier. Danielle's case is heartbreaking, and it's clear how urgently we need to address the intersection of gun access and domestic violence. By the way, I keep a free GIF to MP4 converter I like to share: https://giftomp4.net/
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