Supreme Court Decision in U.S. v. Rahimi Prioritizes the Safety of Domestic Violence Survivors

June 21, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC – The Supreme Court’s 8-1 landmark decision today in the case of US v. Rahimi affirms the experience of millions of domestic violence survivors across the country. The Supreme Court determined in their decision that individuals subject to a domestic violence restraining order are restricted from legally possessing a firearm.

In the opinion drafted by Justice Roberts, he writes, “we conclude only this: An individual found by a court to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of another may be temporarily disarmed consistent with the Second Amendment.” We applaud the Court for centering the lives of survivors over a dangerous abuser’s access to firearms.

To drive home the high stakes that hung in the balance of this decision, the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence (DCCADV) and the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) are sharing powerful stories from survivors who have faced the threat of firearms in abusive relationships. With the Court’s ruling, we hope that we may continue to move toward a world free from this violence.

One such story takes place in Washington, DC. AW was seeking a permanent Civil Protection Order against her abuser. While awaiting a court date for the civil protective order, AW’s abuser shot and killed her in her home with her five young children nearby. Had AW received the civil protective order and her abuser’s ability to possess firearms been removed legally, AW may still be alive today.

Stories like this – of which there are far too many – illustrate the terrifying reality for many domestic violence victims and their families. We thank the Justices for prioritizing the safety of survivors and preventing firearms from getting in the hands of abusers. The Supreme Court’s decision today will save lives.

DCCADV’s Executive Director Dawn Dalton and Policy Director Micaela Deming are available for comment as issue experts, as well as NNEDV’s Deputy Director of Public Policy Melina Milazzo, and survivors who are willing to share their personal experiences. Contact information can be found below.

Contacts:

Dawn Dalton, DDalton@DCCADV.org
Micaela Deming, MDeming@DCCADV.org
Melina Milazzo, MMilazzo@NNEDV.org

Read this afternoon’s follow-up Rahimi statement here.

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The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) represents the 56 state and U.S. territorial coalitions against domestic violence. NNEDV is a social change organization working to create a social, political, and economic environment in which domestic violence no longer exists. NNEDV works to make domestic violence a national priority, change the way society responds to domestic violence, and strengthen domestic violence advocacy at every level.