Self-reported weapon ownership, use, and violence experience among clients accessing an inner-city sexually transmitted disease clinic

Little is known about the extent to which people who access public health care settings own/carry weapons and experience/perpetrate acts of violence. The purpose of this study was to describe weapon ownership and violence experiences of persons attending an inner-city sexually transmitted disease clinic. Face-to-face interviews were administered to 245 clients to assess weapon ownership, types of weapons carried, and experiences as victims or perpetrators of violent acts. Overall, 43.7% reported experience of carrying a weapon at some point in their lives. More men chose to carry guns; more women chose to carry knives or mace. Participants reported experiencing alarming levels of violence in the previous year: 30.5% experienced beatings, 23.9% reported being threatened with a gun, and 18.9% reported forced, unwanted sex. Persons with a history of carrying weapons were significantly more likely to report being both victims and perpetrators of violence. Persons who experienced violence in the previous month were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with an STD. Results show that STD clinics represent yet another setting wherein interventions to curb the extent of violence might be appropriate, and strategies to assist and protect those experiencing violence are needed.