Journal article
Extreme Risk Protection Order laws and fatal violence against women: a quasi-experimental study
Journal of epidemiology and community health (1979), Forthcoming
07 Aug 2026
PMID: 42567696
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Abstract
Rates of intimate partner homicides of women in the USA are high relative to other high-income countries, especially those involving firearms. We evaluated one potential policy solution by examining state Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) firearm transfer laws and intimate partner homicide of women.
The primary outcome was state rates of intimate partner homicide deaths among females aged 10-64 years per 100 000 using data from the Supplementary Homicide Reports (2014-2022). We also examined firearm homicide rates using vital statistics data (2014-2023), overall and stratified by racialised groups. This study used a two-stage least-squares instrumental variable approach where our exposure was the annual count of ERPO petitions filed in each state per 100 000 population and our instrument was the presence of an ERPO policy.
Overall, we did not observe statistically significant reductions in state rates of intimate partner homicides (beta=-0.05 per 100 000; 95% CI -0.11 to 0.01) or firearm homicides among women (beta=-0.04 per 100 000; 95% CI -0.13 to 0.05) associated with ERPO implementation. However, among white women, each annual increase of 1 per 100 000 in the rate of ERPO petition filings was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the rate of firearm homicides of -0.04 per 100 000 (95% CI -0.08 to -0.01, p=0.022).
Our findings suggest the potential for ERPO use to prevent fatal violence against white women and underscore the need for equitable policy solutions for black and Indigenous women who face the highest rates of intimate partner violence.
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Details
- Title
- Extreme Risk Protection Order laws and fatal violence against women: a quasi-experimental study
- Creators
- Jaquelyn L Jahn (Corresponding Author) - Drexel UniversityGabriel L Schwartz - Drexel UniversityDovile Vilda - Tulane UniversityJocelyn Pinkerton - Louisiana State Department of Health and HospitalsJennifer A Hunt - Louisiana State Department of Health and HospitalsMaeve E Wallace - University of Arizona
- Publication Details
- Journal of epidemiology and community health (1979), Forthcoming
- Publisher
- BMJ Publishing Group
- Number of pages
- 6
- Grant note
- National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research: n/a
This research was supported by the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research (Title: Evaluating the Impact of ERPO and DVRO Firearm Relinquishment Laws on Pregnancy-Associated Homicide, no fund number).
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Drexel FIRST (Center for Firefighter Injury Research and Safety Trends); Urban Health Collaborative; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Health Management and Policy
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001848393500001
- Other Identifier
- 991022201460204721