The laws on the carrying of weapons, which have caused disputes in force in two States earlier this month. They are designed to protect victims of domestic violence, allowing them to carry weapons without a license.
In Indiana, victims of domestic violence can now have a gun without a license within 60 days if they have a protective order against their alleged abusers. A similar law took effect in Tennessee.
National rifle Association of the United States, which insisted on the passage of both bills, said that this type of legislation allows the victims while they are waiting for approval of applications to carry weapons to protect themselves if necessary.
«The review process in some States can take several months, but the victims of domestic violence, usually there’s not enough time to wait. They need something to protect myself if I have to,» says Catherine Mortensen, a spokesman of the NSA.
But opponents of this position believe that such bills will only aggravate the situation. Firearms are the most commonly used in domestic murders. Critics of the NSA say that, if victims of violence at a critical time to give the gun — it will only increase the chances that someone will be killed or seriously injured – whether victim or abuser. In addition, in the end, the victim may end up in jail.
The idea is to ease the way of obtaining arms for self-defense is not a precedent. In recent years, similar projects have appeared in the legislatures of other States, but only a few of them were implemented. For example, in March the Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe vetoed a bill allowing persons with a protective order carry a concealed weapon within 45 days without permission.
«If you give a gun in the hands of someone not trained to handle it, then the attacker would only make it easier to use weapons against the victim,» says legal consultant Kerry Bennett from Indiana, where a bill has started to act.
In 2011-2012, 100 people were killed in incidents of domestic violence in Indiana. 62 people died after the use of firearms.
According to «The Huffington Post».
