British media: The mental health of African Americans in the United States is more affected by gun violence. They live in persistent anxiety and violence | firearms | mental health
According to an article published by The Guardian on August 30th, the escalating gun violence epidemic in the United States is causing damage to the mental health of millions of Americans, with African Americans particularly affected.
At the beginning of the article, it is mentioned that last weekend, a white gunman shot and killed three African Americans in a supermarket in Florida, USA. The recent shooting incident easily reminds people of the large-scale killings targeting African Americans in recent years: in May 2022, a white gunman killed 10 African Americans in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and deliberately drove to an African community to search for victims; In 2015, another white supremacist killed 9 African Americans in South Carolina and showed no remorse on 33 federal charges in court.
Regarding this, Jessica Lopresti, a psychology professor at Suffolk University in the United States, said, "Although all Americans are affected by the threat of gun violence, due to the existence of white supremacism, African Americans face an additional fear of becoming targets, which may cause them strong anxiety and pressure. When we talk to white people about their violent experiences, they are unlikely to become targets solely because of their identity."
Therapist and racial trauma expert Kenneth Hardy also believes that for African Americans in the United States, nowhere is safe. "African Americans live in a constant state of anxiety. Violence against African Americans by American police also exacerbates safety issues, as many African Americans feel that calling law enforcement may expose them to more violence." The President of the American Psychological Association, Tema Bryant, said, "As African Americans in the United States, we recognize that the harm caused by racism has not only occurred in history, but continues today."
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