livingston
20×102mm Vulcan
Gun Use Surges in Europe, Where Firearms Are Rare
Growing insecurity spurs more people to clear high bars for ownership
When hundreds of women were sexually assaulted on New Year’s Eve in several German cities three years ago, Carolin Matthie decided it was time to defend herself. The 26-year-old Berlin student quickly applied for a gun permit, fearing many women would have the same idea and flood the application process.
“If I don’t do it now, I will have to wait maybe another half year,” she recalls thinking.
Gun ownership is rising across Europe, a continent that until recently faced far less gun crime and violence than much of the globe. Not long ago it was rare to see armed British police.
The uptick was spurred in part by insecurity arising from terrorist attacks—many with firearms, and reflects government efforts to get illegal guns registered by offering amnesty to owners.
Europe is still far from facing the gun prevalence and violence in Latin America or the U.S., which lead the world. World-wide civilian ownership of firearms rose 32% in the decade through 2017, to 857.3 million guns, according to the Small Arms Survey, a research project in Geneva. Europe accounts for less than 10% of the total.
ownership and gun violations haveincreased in Germany, though gun deaths inthe country, and in Europe, are relatively low.Gun ownership and gun violations have increased in Germany, though gun deaths in the country, and in Europe, are relatively low.Change in Germany since 2013:
Registered weaponsFirearm offenses20132014201520162017
Firearm deaths per 100,000 people, 2016Sources: German National Weapons Registry(registrations); German Federal Criminal PoliceOffice (offenses); Institute for Health Metrics andEvaluation, University of Washington (gun deaths)Sources: German National Weapons Registry (registrations); German Federal Criminal Police Office (offenses); Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington (gun deaths)
U.S.Global avg.FranceBelgiumGermanyU.K.
But Europe’s shift has been rapid, and notable in part because of strict national restrictions. In most European countries, gun permits require thorough background checks, monitored shooting practice and tests on regulations. In Belgium, France and Germany, most registered guns may only be used at shooting ranges. Permits to bear arms outside of shooting ranges are extremely difficult to obtain.
Strict registration requirements don’t account for—and may exacerbate—a surge in illegal weapons across the continent, experts say.
Europe’s unregistered weapons outnumbered legal ones in 2017, 44.5 million to 34.2 million, according to the Small Arms Survey. Many illegal weapons come from one-time war zones, such as countries of the former Yugoslavia, and others are purchased online, including from vendors in the U.S.
Gun Use Surges in Europe, Where Firearms Are Rare
Growing insecurity spurs more people to clear high bars for ownership
When hundreds of women were sexually assaulted on New Year’s Eve in several German cities three years ago, Carolin Matthie decided it was time to defend herself. The 26-year-old Berlin student quickly applied for a gun permit, fearing many women would have the same idea and flood the application process.
“If I don’t do it now, I will have to wait maybe another half year,” she recalls thinking.
Gun ownership is rising across Europe, a continent that until recently faced far less gun crime and violence than much of the globe. Not long ago it was rare to see armed British police.
The uptick was spurred in part by insecurity arising from terrorist attacks—many with firearms, and reflects government efforts to get illegal guns registered by offering amnesty to owners.
Europe is still far from facing the gun prevalence and violence in Latin America or the U.S., which lead the world. World-wide civilian ownership of firearms rose 32% in the decade through 2017, to 857.3 million guns, according to the Small Arms Survey, a research project in Geneva. Europe accounts for less than 10% of the total.
ownership and gun violations haveincreased in Germany, though gun deaths inthe country, and in Europe, are relatively low.Gun ownership and gun violations have increased in Germany, though gun deaths in the country, and in Europe, are relatively low.Change in Germany since 2013:
Registered weaponsFirearm offenses20132014201520162017
Firearm deaths per 100,000 people, 2016Sources: German National Weapons Registry(registrations); German Federal Criminal PoliceOffice (offenses); Institute for Health Metrics andEvaluation, University of Washington (gun deaths)Sources: German National Weapons Registry (registrations); German Federal Criminal Police Office (offenses); Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington (gun deaths)
U.S.Global avg.FranceBelgiumGermanyU.K.
But Europe’s shift has been rapid, and notable in part because of strict national restrictions. In most European countries, gun permits require thorough background checks, monitored shooting practice and tests on regulations. In Belgium, France and Germany, most registered guns may only be used at shooting ranges. Permits to bear arms outside of shooting ranges are extremely difficult to obtain.
Strict registration requirements don’t account for—and may exacerbate—a surge in illegal weapons across the continent, experts say.
Europe’s unregistered weapons outnumbered legal ones in 2017, 44.5 million to 34.2 million, according to the Small Arms Survey. Many illegal weapons come from one-time war zones, such as countries of the former Yugoslavia, and others are purchased online, including from vendors in the U.S.
Gun Use Surges in Europe, Where Firearms Are Rare
