36% of Americans have avoided public spaces over mass shooting fears, survey finds

A new survey revealed that 36% of Americans admitted to avoiding public places or events due to fear of a mass shooting.

The report, published by ProTraining, surveyed 1,000 Americans across a broad range of demographics to assess public perceptions and attitudes toward gun violence in the United States. 

The analysis also showed that younger generations and women were more likely to report avoiding such spaces, highlighting varying levels of concern across different demographic groups.

"This highlights a deeply concerning trend: the fear of tragedy not only impacts our emotional well-being, but it also actively alters our behavior and limits our engagement with the world around us," the company, which provides CPR and first-aid certification courses, said.

The majority of respondents indicated that news coverage of gun violence significantly increased their concern regarding safety in their daily environments, with more than 70% rating the impact as moderate, significant, or extreme.

In addition, 2 out of every 3 respondents said they disapproved of the current U.S. government's handling of gun violence prevention. While this disapproval remained somewhat consistent among respondents of different age groups, the Gen Z generation disapproved of the government's handling more than any other generation (75%). 

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Additionally, 71% of survey participants said they believed that stricter gun control laws have the potential to prevent gun violence. Meanwhile, 58% of respondents said they feel the current mental health infrastructure in the U.S. is inadequate for dealing with gun violence trauma.

In June, Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory stating that gun violence was a public health crisis and its immediate psychological ramifications may severely compromise public health. 

"Today, for the first time in the history of our office, I am issuing a Surgeon General's Advisory on firearm violence," Murthy said in a video announcement. "It outlines the urgent threat firearm violence poses to the health and well-being of our country."

As of Monday, 318 mass shootings have been reported by the Gun Violence Archive this year. The non-profit organization defines a mass shooting as a minimum of four victims shot, either injured or killed.