This research evaluates the associations between state gun control legislation aimed at disarming domestic abusers and levels of intimate partner homicide. This study specifically focuses on differences between the homicides of men and women, and white women and women of color. Women of color are at a disproportionate risk of becoming victims of intimate partner homicides committed with firearms; as such they remain the central focus of this work. Previous research in this field analyzes the effects of domestic violence-specific gun laws on all victims, failing to address potential disparities between victim groups. The results of this study demonstrate that men and women are not impacted in the same ways by gun control laws, nor are white women and women of color. The results show that women, particularly women of color, largely benefit from firearm restrictions and firearm surrender provisions for subjects of permanent protection orders. This study represents an important step towards assessing how gun control laws affect distinct victim groups and shows how result may vary between groups; however, further research is needed to gain a clearer picture of how communities that are particularly vulnerable to firearm intimate partner homicide benefit from gun control legislation.
