Lifetime Prevalence Estimates of Nonfatal Firearm-Related Violence in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adults in the U.S.

Estimates of firearm-involved violence are largely informed by fatal injury reports and law enforcement data. The current study estimated the lifetime prevalence of nonfatal firearm-related violence, including victimization, perpetration, suicide attempts, and witnessing violence, and demographic associations with these experiences. A weighted, nationally representative sample of 1,681 U.S. adults was recruited from August 2023 to September 2023 through the AmeriSpeak panel using probability-based sampling. Data were collected via self-report survey and analyzed in 2024 using logistic regression to examine demographic associations. 20.8% of adults reported experiencing firearm-related victimization, with men, Black adults in the U.S., and those earning less than $30,000 being at higher risk for both victimization and perpetration. 12.3% of respondents witnessed firearm-related violence, with significant overlap between perpetration and victimization. Over 5% of the sample reported using a firearm against another person, with the majority (4.4%) characterizing these as instances of self-defense. Results support the association of victimization and perpetration, highlighting the cyclical nature of violence. Firearm-related violence was found to disproportionately affect racially marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities. Firearm-related violence is a widespread and preventable source of morbidity and trauma, and interconnected patterns of victimization, perpetration, and witnessing were found to disproportionately affect racially marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities, underscoring the need for data-driven prevention efforts and structural reforms.