July 2002

While only 11% of Americans of Latino heritage own guns, compared to 16% of blacks and 27% of whites, they are murdered with firearms at rates second only to blacks. Gun homicide is the leading cause of gun deaths for Latinos and in 1997 the total firearm injury rate (both fatal and nonfatal) for Latinos was nearly three times higher than the rate for whites. Latinos are more likely than persons in other racial/ethnic groups to be victims of violent crimes involving strangers. The rates are 63% for Latinos, compared to 58% for whites and 54% for blacks.

Because of these striking disparities and the fact that by 2005 Latinos are projected to be the largest ethnic group in the United States, Latinos are believed to be quickly becoming the largest vulnerable group to firearms violence in the country. (It is worth noting that contrary to popular perception that most Latinos are immigrants, 64% of Latinos were born here.)

These are the factors involved in the problem:

• Latino women in intimate relationships suffer the highest rate of domestic violence. Family and intimate homicides are often preceded by an increasing pattern of domestic violence. The presence of a firearm in the home is a key contributor for the escalation of nonfatal spousal abuse into homicide. The widespread occurrence of domestic violence within the Hispanic community is an important marker for possible lethal violence.
• Homicide is the second leading cause of death among Latino adolescents and young adults and is approximately six times the rate for white non-Latino youth, though less than for black youth. Although no national studies of firearm deaths among Latinos have been carried out, regional studies suggest that handguns are a significant contributor to death and violence in Latino communities. As in all other populations, access to firearms places Latinos, particularly youth, at an increased risk of homicide, violent injury and disability.
• Many Latino youth live in chronically violent communities characterized by high levels of stress due to their exposure to crime, violence, poverty and poor access to health/mental health care.

Considering all of these facts, how despicable that the gun industry is targeting the Latino market -- as they are blacks and women -- to bolster their sales. Thus a 1997 Shoot Sports Retailer article titled "Gun Industry Must Become Less Racist to Survive in the 21st Century" suggests that there be more aggressive marketing to the Latino population. The Latino and gun control communities need to respond clearly and effectively to this threat.

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