--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You are five times more likely to be…" description: "\"You are five times more likely to be killed by your abuser if your abuser can get their hands on a gun. That's not a small problem.\" — Melissa Harris-P..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/melissa-harris-perry-10452_abuser_you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-kil_1547589.png" --- # You are five times more likely to be killed by your abuser… ![“You are five times more likely to be killed by your abuser if your abuser can get their hands on a gun. That's not a small problem.” quote by Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/melissa-harris-perry-10452_abuser_you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-kil_1547589.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/melissa-harris-perry-10452_abuser_you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-kil_1547589.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/melissa-harris-perry-10452_abuser_you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-kil_1547589.png) > “You are five times more likely to be killed by your abuser if your abuser can get their hands on a gun. That's not a small problem.” [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Having access to guns dramatically raises the risk of lethal outcomes in abusive relationships, highlighting a serious public safety issue. **In simple terms:** Guns increase lethal risk in abuse. Key Takeaway Advocate for stricter gun control to protect victims. Themes safety abuse policy rights Mood urgent concerned Type activist informative When to use this quote - legislative reform - support services - community education Key Concepts public health risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What policies could reduce this risk? - How can communities support victims? A Different Perspective Balancing gun rights with victim protection is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuser/) [Abusers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abusers/) [Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Small problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-problems/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“This is not an enemy issue, it’s a big-gun-small-dick issue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwei-quartey/this-is-not-an-enemy-issue-it-s-a-big-gun-small-dick-issue/) [Kwei Quartey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwei-quartey/) > [“At Starbucks 0 as in any business, in any life - there are so many hectic moments during the day when we are simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/at-starbucks-0-as-in-any-business-in-any-life-there-are-so-many/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [“Laughter can deflate almost any problem down to its proper size.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/laughter-can-deflate-almost-any-problem-down-to-its-proper-size/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Since big problems are usually a dense mass of intertwined small problems, you can make more progress by tackling a small piece of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-d-levitt-stephen-j-dubner/since-big-problems-are-usually-a-dense-mass-of-intertwined-small/) Stephen D. Levitt Stephen J. Dubner > [By hiding things from your partner, you allow small problems to escalate and dominate both your life and your relationship. If you make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/by-hiding-things-from-your-partner-you-allow-small-problems-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [For some days I quietly worked out in my own mind the metaphysics of Cosmic Unity. The more I thought about it, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/for-some-days-i-quietly-worked-out-in-my-own-mind-the-metaphysics-of/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [In fact, I love singing. I just have a small problem with pitch, tune, melody, and lyrics. But that's never stopped me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-daniels/in-fact-i-love-singing-i-just-have-a-small-problem-with-pitch-tune/) [Kevin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-daniels/) > [Sometimes you get a team that has almost forgotten how to win. That's maybe fallen away from the standards that should be set at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-campbell/sometimes-you-get-a-team-that-has-almost-forgotten-how-to-win-that-s/) [Sol Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-campbell/) > [When you're stuck sitting in a comfort zone, small problems become magnified. Get out of your comfort zone, touch the edge, and you come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-warren/when-you-re-stuck-sitting-in-a-comfort-zone-small-problems-become/) Barbara Warren > [If we are not allowed to deal with small problems, we will be destroyed by slightly larger ones. When we come to understand this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/if-we-are-not-allowed-to-deal-with-small-problems-we-will-be/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [“Big problems often start as small problems that weren’t nipped in the bud when they were still manageable. • If a problem is too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/big-problems-often-start-as-small-problems-that-weren-t-nipped-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What’s needed, in my view, is to approach big and small problems with the same set of values and emotions, because they are, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/what-s-needed-in-my-view-is-to-approach-big-and-small-problems-with/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“When Ben unfurls the T-shirts, there are two small problems. First, it turns out that a large T-shirt in a Georgia gas station is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/when-ben-unfurls-the-t-shirts-there-are-two-small-problems-first-it/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/in-matters-of-truth-and-justice-there-is-no-difference-between-large/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Face the simple fact before it comes involved. Solve the small problem before it becomes big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/face-the-simple-fact-before-it-comes-involved-solve-the-small-problem/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## More by Melissa Harris-Perry > [I learned that you can't write a book in the margins of your life. I'd forgotten how much uninterrupted time it takes to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-learned-that-you-can-t-write-a-book-in-the-margins-of-your-life-i-d/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [ The debate was a chance for senator \[Bernie\] Sanders to have a game-changing moment to recapture the news cycle and build momentum going into… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/the-debate-was-a-chance-for-senator-bernie-sanders-to-have-a-game/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Having a white parent undoubtedly makes for a different childhood experience than having two black parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/having-a-white-parent-undoubtedly-makes-for-a-different-childhood/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Drink lots of water, and nap. I've made some really big messes along the way, whether on the academic side or on the media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/drink-lots-of-water-and-nap-i-ve-made-some-really-big-messes-along/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Terrifying mass shooting and high-profile officer-involved incidents have dominated the national conversation on gun violence in recent years. But most deaths by gun are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/terrifying-mass-shooting-and-high-profile-officer-involved-incidents/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Stereotypes work to help divide women from recognizing their common interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/stereotypes-work-to-help-divide-women-from-recognizing-their-common/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [I would agree if the race were today, most likely, our nominee would be Donald Trump, but it isn't today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-would-agree-if-the-race-were-today-most-likely-our-nominee-would-be/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [The Republicans don't need black folks to vote Republican, they just need them to not vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/the-republicans-don-t-need-black-folks-to-vote-republican-they-just/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [I had a friend say to me the other day, I hate when I see Jonathan Metzl on your show because I know it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-had-a-friend-say-to-me-the-other-day-i-hate-when-i-see-jonathan/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [I am a supporter of much of the Arab Spring, as a matter of indigenous self-determination. So, I see the United States' role in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-am-a-supporter-of-much-of-the-arab-spring-as-a-matter-of-indigenous/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [ The leading non-establishment Republican candidate for president, Donald Trump, is just sailing past \[establishment Republican candidates\] in the polls. He is still surging. He… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/the-leading-non-establishment-republican-candidate-for-president/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [I think the idea that you're somehow rejecting whiteness if you don't identify yourself as biracial is odd because everybody engages in whiteness. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-think-the-idea-that-you-re-somehow-rejecting-whiteness-if-you-don-t/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Popular films are so powerful and compelling that it's often easier to accept their versions of history than the much more complicated true stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/popular-films-are-so-powerful-and-compelling-that-it-s-often-easier/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Donald Trump has changed the rule and so have the stations and the media coverage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/donald-trump-has-changed-the-rule-and-so-have-the-stations-and-the/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [As we watch Republican candidates like Scott Walker and Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal and George Pataki, and even Jeb Bush and Chris Christie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/as-we-watch-republican-candidates-like-scott-walker-and-rick-perry/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) [Explore all 65 Melissa Harris-Perry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) ## More Abuser quotes > [It's incredibly dangerous to leave an abuser, because the final step in the domestic violence pattern is: kill her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-morgan-steiner/it-s-incredibly-dangerous-to-leave-an-abuser-because-the-final-step/) [Leslie Morgan Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-morgan-steiner/) > [“Beating yourself up over every perceived mistake is the work of an internal abuser who must be restrained and reformed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/beating-yourself-up-over-every-perceived-mistake-is-the-work-of-an/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“When people conclude that anger causes abuse, they are confusing cause and effect. Ray was not abusive because he was angry; he was angry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/when-people-conclude-that-anger-causes-abuse-they-are-confusing-cause/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [“the abuser's desire to abuse is not created by the child - it is there before the child appears”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-ainscough/the-abuser-s-desire-to-abuse-is-not-created-by-the-child-it-is-there/) [Carolyn Ainscough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-ainscough/) > [“A psychological abuser will find a survivor’s emotional soft spots and exploit them for control and entertainment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-thomas/a-psychological-abuser-will-find-a-survivor-s-emotional-soft-spots/) [Shannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-thomas/) > [“I'm still not sure if I was a victim or not... and if I was, who was my abuser?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskay-teel/i-m-still-not-sure-if-i-was-a-victim-or-not-and-if-i-was-who-was-my/) Eskay Teel > [“The woman knows from living with the abusive man that there are no simple answers. Friends say: “He’s mean.” But she knows many ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/the-woman-knows-from-living-with-the-abusive-man-that-there-are-no/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [Cocaine was different. It kept saying, "You haven't had enough." I became an abuser almost instantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/cocaine-was-different-it-kept-saying-you-haven-t-had-enough-i-became/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Feminism exists so that no woman ever has to face her abuser in isolation, alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/feminism-exists-so-that-no-woman-ever-has-to-face-her-abuser-in/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [“In situations of captivity the perpetrator becomes the most powerful person in the life of the victim, and the psychology of the victim is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lewis-herman/in-situations-of-captivity-the-perpetrator-becomes-the-most-powerful/) [Judith Lewis Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lewis-herman/) > [ The getting out part \[of advise\] may well be true. Because if you have tried the tender love thing... typically the abuser is not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/the-getting-out-part-of-advise-may-well-be-true-because-if-you-have/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“He who can deliberately inflict torture upon an animal, in order to heighten the pleasure his palate is to receive in eating it, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/he-who-can-deliberately-inflict-torture-upon-an-animal-in-order-to/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [“The symptoms of abuse are there, and the woman usually sees them: the escalating frequency of put-downs. Early generosity turning more and more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/the-symptoms-of-abuse-are-there-and-the-woman-usually-sees-them-the/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [“When an abuser gaslights, he or she sets up situations to make the target doubt their own memories and assessments of situations. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-thomas/when-an-abuser-gaslights-he-or-she-sets-up-situations-to-make-the/) [Shannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-thomas/) > [“He knows he used to be able to control you with charm, affection and promises. He also remembers how well intimidation or aggression worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/he-knows-he-used-to-be-able-to-control-you-with-charm-affection-and/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) [Browse all 82 Abuser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuser/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You are five times more likely to be killed by your abuser if your abuser can get their hands on a gun. That's not a small problem.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melissa Harris-Perry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-your-abuser-if-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuser" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-your-abuser-if-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/melissa-harris-perry-10452_abuser_you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-kil_1547589.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/melissa-harris-perry-10452_abuser_you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-kil_1547589.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/melissa-harris-perry-10452_abuser_you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-kil_1547589.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You are five times more likely to be killed by your abuser if your abuser can get their hands on a gun…” — Melissa Harris-Perry", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Melissa Harris-Perry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You are five times more likely...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-your-abuser-if-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/you-are-five-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-your-abuser-if-your/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```