In recent times, the situation of ownership of firearms in the United States has shifted dramatically. According to a new study, protection has surpassed traditional objectives such as hunt or sport shooting as the most common reason Americans purchase weapons. This shift is redefining the reason why people own weapons, but additionally who buys them, since more women and ethnic minorities become gun owners.

The study, done in 2023 and published in the journal Injury Prevention, reveals a country where over 80% of gun owners identify protection as the main reason for owning a firearm. This corresponds to approximately 65 million Americans possessing guns for self-defense reasons, a number that has been gradually increasing over the last 2 decades.

What motivates this change? According to the report, this trend might be influenced by several causes, including shifting societal attitudes, changing legislation, and a sense of anxiety regarding personal safety.

One of the most notable discoveries is the shifting demographics of those with firearms. Historically, gun ownership in the United States has been linked with white men, frequently for leisure purposes such as hunting. However, new data reveal that women and race minorities are becoming more likely to purchase firearms, nearly only for self-defense. For example, the study discovered that almost ninety percent of Black and Asian women who purchase firearms do so for personal safety.

This shift affects both who owns guns and how they are used. According to the study, gun owners who want to protect themselves are more inclined to keep their guns outside their houses. This behavior is especially common in jurisdictions with “Stand Your Ground” (SYG) legislation, which empowers people to use lethal action in self-defense without initially trying to escape a hazardous scenario.