Mass shootings have become a growing concern in the world since they have turned out to be frequent events in many countries. Thousands of people die each year in the world because of mass shootings. According to multiple sources including the BBC, seventeen people died in the mass shootings last week in Serbia. Also, many events of mass shootings occur in many other countries including the United States, Russia, France, Germany and Canada. But mass shootings have risen in many countries in recent years, despite a global hue and cry. Importantly, mass shootings — carried out in schools, streets, shopping malls, restaurants and other places — kill not only students but also other people.
Definitely, there are legal, policy based and other government efforts to combat mass shootings, which not only kill and injure but also lead to physical and psychological trauma for survivors and their families. But legal measures are globally the most used steps to address mass shootings, which involve shootings with one or more firearms at a number of people. Many countries have gun laws to regulate guns. Some countries enacted strict gun controls that helped to reduce mass shootings by making guns less available to civilians. Also, strengthened security efforts are employed to fight mass shootings, although they are mainly reactive and taken after the events to prevent their further occurrence in the same place. Special operations are sometimes carried out in different countries to seize illegal firearms. Among other measures, strengthened mental health services, though they are not directly targeted at ending mass shootings, are notable.
But efforts are less effective in many countries in addressing mass shootings, driven by multiple causes including availability and accessibility to firearms (rendered the main driver of mass shootings), mental health issues, social isolation and extremist ideologies. Gun control laws are relaxed in many countries including the United States — where the most mass shootings occur every year. Relaxed gun laws make guns available and accessible to many and increase the risk of gun shootings, though many get guns by illegal means in many countries. Also, there is scant effort to prevent the availability and accessibility of illegal guns and are ineffective security measures in many countries. Despite strict gun laws, several countries including South Africa experience mass shootings due to accessible illegal guns.
There are other inadequacies with mass shootings prevention efforts in the world, despite relaxed gun laws are the main cause. Less emphasis is given to addressing mental health problems and the root causes of mass shootings in many countries. According to multiple sources, many mass shooters in many countries including the United States were found to have mental illness. Economic frustrations and frustrating social causes, which increase the chance of mass shootings in many settings when guns are easily available and accessible, legally and/or illegally, are not well-addressed in many countries. Extreme ideologies that drive mass shootings are also not well-addressed with effective plans, even if mass shootings driven by such ideologies have reduced recently in the world.
It is desired that measures are strengthened globally to reduce mass shootings, even if it is not possible to completely end them. Definitely, gun control laws need to be revised in many countries. According to multiple sources, in countries with stricter gun laws and countries where guns are illegal, there tend to be fewer mass shootings per capita. Strict gun regulations — rendered the most effective means of reducing mass shootings — may contribute to fewer occurrences of mass shootings in some countries including the United States. Since guns are needed to save lives, permission for guns is needed. But it is definitely imperative that guns become less available and they do not go to the wrong hands.
Global campaigns for governments to make strict gun laws may be helpful. But cooperation from lawmakers is imperative to make strict gun laws in many countries. Since mass shootings occur in countries where strict gun laws exist too, a multi-faceted approach is crucial to address mass shootings. Efforts are needed to make illegal guns unavailable, given that gun regulations do not end the accessibility to illegal guns. Along with strict legal measures, providing mental health services is imperative. But the root causes of mass shootings including social and economic causes need to be addressed in many countries to reduce the chance of their occurrence across the world.
