Research on trauma is frequently featured in mainstream news outlets, pointing to its connection to a range of behavioral and health outcomes. While trauma can have multiple interpretations, for the purposes of this report, it is the result of experiencing or witnessing chronic and sustained violence, or specific events that can have lasting effects on individuals. Researchers have identified 13 distinct types of trauma, including community violence. Community violence is an umbrella term that encompasses experiencing or witnessing firearms violence as well as exposure to drug markets. In addition to the commonly understood, more immediate impacts of gun violence on the victims and their friends and family, this report will provide an overview of the consequences of community violence on health and well-being, specifically illuminating the impact of trauma caused by the longer-term, frequently cumulative effects of living with the fear of violence.

This report is intended for members of the gun violence prevention community and policymakers and is designed to provide a foundation of key concepts and research on trauma in the context of gun violence in an easily accessible format.

Findings from brain science research have led to the identification of early life adversity, also known as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and toxic stress as strong precursors and predictors of negative outcomes later in life. ACEs are defined as stressful or traumatic experiences that include abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction. Examples of abuse include physical, emotional, or sexual abuse; neglect can include both physical and emotional neglect; while household dysfunction can involve experiences such as an incarcerated parent, witnessing domestic violence, growing up with substance abuse, mental illness, parental discord, or crime in the home. It is the prevalence of ACEs that result in high levels of chronic stress that, in the absence of protective relationships, become toxic. While ACEs pertain to experiences at the individual level, traumatic environments at the community level also contribute to toxic stress. For example, high-crime neighborhoods where gun violence, drug sales, and gang activity are prevalent are significant sources of toxic stress.

To read more, visit; http://www.vpc.org/studies/trauma17.pdf