Violence is here in Iowa but it doesn’t have to stay

Violence has always been a part of human history. Some might say it’s in our nature, from catastrophic world wars to genocide to mass shootings to human trafficking — the list goes on. And over the course of the past year, violence has surged, both across the nation and Iowa.

In the United States, murders increase by almost 30 percent in 2020, according to data from the F.B.I.’s annual report on crime. That’s the largest one-year surge of Americans killing each other in a century, according to the Pew Research Center. And that same study from Pew states much of the surge can be attributed to gun violence, as firearms were involved in 77 percent of murders in 2020. In the first half of 2021, that murder rate continued to climb by 16 percent, according to the Council on Criminal Justice.

In Iowa, firearm homicides jumped 20 percent in 2020 compared to 2019, according to data from the Iowa Department of Public Health. And domestic violence was on the rise in 2020 and 2021 at the same time key programs and services had their funding cut by 20 percent. In 2020, Iowa saw the most domestic violence deaths since 2010, showing a dangerous trajectory for future domestic violence, says the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

It’s clear America and Iowa have a violence problem, especially in respect to other well-developed countries. The question is, what can we do as a community to prevent the violence? How can we engage with our lawmakers and local leaders to establish a sense of camaraderie, community and accountability?

I believe the first step is acknowledging the severity of this issue. In the 24-hour news cycle, reporting on violence can often cause viewers to feel desensitized to the terrible crimes that happen in this country and state, especially when it concerns traumatic and horrific events.

That response can be attested to media cultivation, a theory explained by Glenn G. Sparks, professor of communication at Purdue University. The theory describes attitude change based on media exposure and one’s particular view of social reality. If news coverage consistently only covers negative, often violent content, people will eventually expect to hear “bad news” of inhumane violence. This expectation will consequently lead the public and audience members of news coverage with a perceived understanding of the world as “mean,” and otherwise malevolent and corrupt.

Once people begin to get past the desensitization of violent events, there are a myriad of options to pursue in affecting a more positive environment that can be proactive to the best of its ability in preventing violence. That could mean actually listening and paying attention to the people around you. You might be amazed at how much you can pick up on in a conversation, like warning signs of abuse and victimhood.

Another path might be gun restrictions, which have been weakened by Iowa legislators over the past couple of years, including but not limited to the “stand your ground,” law, eliminating training requirements to carry a weapon and repealing the permit requirement to purchase handguns. Today, someone could buy a firearm from a private gun seller in Iowa without undergoing a background check. That’s just inviting violence to occur. Why? Because there are few safety measures in place to mitigate disasters as they relate to gun violence.

Other paths might also include increasing budgets for violence prevention programs and services instead of cutting their funding. Mental health resources for the general public could also vastly help prevent violence, or at the very least mitigate it. Entering year two of this pandemic means everybody is just about at the end of their rope, exhausted from a public health crisis that’s forced everyone to alter the way they live their daily life. That would be a stressor for anyone, not to mention the trending Great Resignation and other economic trends.

There is a violence wave happening at home and across the nation. It’s time our leaders and us as community members work together to help prevent it — or at the very least mitigate the surges. Don’t let this be just another day where your eyes glaze over watching the news. Create a discussion and end ignorance toward violence in our communities.

Nichole Shaw is a Gazette editorial fellow. Comments: nichole.shaw@thegazette.com

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