Although federal laws provide protections for victims of partner firearm threats, there is a “boyfriend loophole” that leaves some victims unprotected. Women were recruited from across the United States using an online survey to examine differences in scope and frequency of firearm threats, firearm-related risks, and fear level among those who did (n = 151), and who did not (n = 118), live with their abusive partner. Results showed that: (1) although frequencies varied depending on the gun threat type, there were no differences in prevalence among those who did, compared to those who did not, live with their abusive partner; (2) over half of the victims in the study reported that their partner had carried the firearm in public and victims reported their partner engaged in an average of five risky gun handling practices; (3) the majority of victims believed their partner's access to firearms increased their danger and two-fifths indicated that the firearm threats made them less likely to talk to law enforcement; and (4) in the multivariate analysis higher fear levels were associated with increased scope and frequency of gun threats, physical/sexual severity, and higher perceived abuser capability of harm for both groups. Study results suggest that partner abuse victims experience a range of threats with a gun, as well as firearm-related risks, and that victims who do not live with their abuser—those who are left unprotected by the boyfriend loophole—have similar firearm-related risks as women who live with their abuser even though they are younger and spend less time in the abusive relationship.

中文翻译：

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探索有同居伴侣与非同居伴侣的女性枪支威胁的性质、范围和影响：对男朋友漏洞的考虑

尽管联邦法律为伴侣枪支威胁的受害者提供保护，但存在一个“男朋友漏洞”，使一些受害者得不到保护。使用在线调查从美国各地招募女性，以检查枪支威胁的范围和频率、枪支相关风险和恐惧程度在接受过（n  = 151）和不接受过（n = 118），与虐待他们的伴侣住在一起。结果表明：（1）虽然频率因枪支威胁类型而异，但与未与施虐伴侣一起生活的人与未接受的人相比，发生率没有差异；(2) 研究中超过一半的受害者报告说他们的伴侣曾在公共场合携带枪支，受害者报告说他们的伴侣平均进行了五次危险的枪支操作；(3) 大多数受害者认为他们的伴侣接触枪支增加了他们的危险，五分之二的人表示枪支威胁使他们不太可能与执法部门交谈；(4) 在多变量分析中，较高的恐惧程度与枪支威胁的范围和频率、身体/性的严重程度增加有关，和更高的感知滥用者对两组的伤害能力。研究结果表明，伴侣虐待受害者经历了一系列枪支威胁以及与枪支相关的风险，并且不与施虐者同住的受害者——那些不受男友漏洞保护的受害者——也有类似的枪支相关风险。与施虐者一起生活的女性面临风险，即使她们更年轻，在施虐关系中花费的时间也更少。