Gun Control

Gun control refers to the efforts to regulate the sale, ownership, and use of guns through licensure, registration, or other identification requirements. In a complex array of federal and state laws, gun control policies address measures such as minimum age requirements, required background checks, and restrictions on specific types of guns such as handguns and assault weapons. Gun safety laws focus on efforts to make guns safer and restrict the access of children to guns. Gun control policies can also focus on preventing those with criminal histories from having access to guns, and promoting harsher sanctions for those using guns while committing a crime.

Historically, women have been far more likely to support gun control than men. Like men, women's views toward gun control are rooted ...