Intimate Partner Violence and Firearm Purchasing: Cross-sectional analysis of statewide survey data from California and Louisiana Adults

Objective : To assess associations between recent intimate partner violence (IPV) (victimization and perpetration) on firearm ownership and recent firearm purchase. Methods : Analysis of statewide online surveys on violence conducted in 2023 in California and Louisiana, respectively. We examine whether past year IPV was associated with firearm outcome using regression models adjusting for sociodemographic covariates and mental health. Survey participants were adults from California (N=3,560), with data collected between March and May 2023 and Louisiana (N=1,081), collected between May and June 2023. Results : In fully adjusted models, IPV victimization was associated with three times higher odds of current firearm ownership (AOR 2.93, 95% CI 1.80-4.77, p<0.001), and IPV perpetration was associated with 10 times higher odds of ownership (AOR 9.85, 95% CI 3.95-25.59, p<0.001). IPV victimization was associated with three times higher odds of past year firearm purchase (AOR 3.15, 95% CI 1.90-5.22, p<0.001), and perpetration was associated with five times higher odds of purchase (AOR 4.98, 95% CI 2.32-10.65, p<0.001). Conclusions : Findings indicate those experiencing and perpetrating IPV are significantly more likely to report firearm ownership and recent purchase of a firearm.