The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services’ gun violence prevention campaign Reduce the Risk informed UC Berkeley students on Gun Violence Restraining Orders at an ASUC Senate meeting Wednesday.
A GVRO is a civil court order that temporarily removes firearms from individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others, according to California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services spokesperson Matt Notley. Teachers, roommates and law enforcement officers are included among those who can file for a GVRO, according to the campaign website.
Only 30% of Californians know about GVROs, though 79% are concerned about the lack of information regarding the orders, according to a statewide survey conducted by Reduce the Risk.
“California survey research shows that awareness remains low even though majorities say the law is appropriate and that they would be willing to use it once it is explained,” said Timothy Brown, a research professor at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, in an email. “To me, that suggests the barrier is often awareness and access, not basic public acceptance.”
UC Davis research published in 2022 suggests that GVROs are effective at preventing self-harm, which 40% of the studied case subjects threatened. The research noted that no suicides occurred among those subjected to the orders.
The presentation included contributions from campus alumnus Rafael Kaye-Lew, a member of the Reduce the Risk Youth Advisory Council.
The 10-member Youth Advisory Council is one of the bodies guiding the campaign alongside the Champions Advisory Council, which is composed of legal and healthcare experts, according to the Reduce the Risk campaign website.
“The importance of this campaign is to provide people (with) a little bit of reassurance that there are tools out there that you can empower yourself (with) to prevent gun violence,” Kaye-Lew said. “It doesn’t have to be this inevitable aspect of our life in this society.”
The informational presentation at UC Berkeley follows one held at UC Davis in February, according to Victoria O’Sullivan, an associate with Sage Strategies, noting that continued presentations on the campaign, led by members of the Youth Advisory Council throughout California colleges, are planned.
“The Reduce the Risk Youth Advisory Council plays a critical role in giving young people an important voice on many issues including gun violence,” Notley said in an email. “It is important that young people have a seat at the table on issues of such great importance to California.”