The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade Exposes Gaps in Data and Policy Solutions
A groundbreaking report from The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade, The Invisible Victims: A Gendered Focus on Gun Violence in Miami-Dade County, uncovers the alarming and underreported impact of gun violence on women and underserved communities in South Florida. Unlike national reports that provide broad trends, this report reveals how gun violence plays out in Miami-Dade County specifically, highlighting critical gaps in data, disparities in victimization, and shortcomings in public policy. You can find the full report here: womensfundmiami.org/gunsafe. The report was made possible in part through a Supporting Safer Communities Program grant from The Carrie Meek Foundation, funded by Miami-Dade County’s Community Violence Intervention Initiative.
Key Findings: How Miami-Dade Compares to National Trends
· Nationally, the Giffords Law Center reports that gun homicide rates spiked 35% in 2020—the largest one-year increase ever recorded—peaking in 2021 across all racial, ethnic, and age groups. While male gun homicide rates rose 38% from 2018 to 2022, female gun homicide rates increased 40%. Black women suffered a staggering 52% increase, compared to 19% for White women.
· The Women’s Fund report finds that, in Miami-Dade, Black women are disproportionately affected by gun violence relative to their White counterparts, consistent with national trends. However, Miami-Dade police departments fail to systematically track gender- and race-specific data, making it difficult to fully assess the scope of the crisis.
· Nationally, more than 2,800 women die in gun homicides each year, with 63% of these victims being women of color. In Miami-Dade, according to data provided by only 5 municipal police departments, there were 1254 female victims of gun-related incidents in 2022, for which the Black Female victimization rate was 585.71 per 100,000 population in comparison to the White Female victimization rate at 63.33 per 100,000.
· Maternal mortality and gun violence are connected: nationally, homicide is the leading cause of death during pregnancy and the postpartum period, with nearly 70% of these homicides involving firearms. Miami-Dade agencies do not track these cases systematically.
· In Miami-Dade, cultural stigma within Hispanic communities may prevent victims from reporting gun violence or seeking support, leading to an incomplete picture of its true impact.
· While the national conversation often centers on mass shootings and male perpetrators, this report exposes how gun violence intersects with domestic abuse, coercion, and control—issues that overwhelmingly affect women.
· Gender-based violence and firearms create a deadly combination: women living in homes with a gun and an abusive partner are five times more likely to be killed. Yet, in Miami-Dade, there is a lack of coordinated policies to address this lethal intersection.
Why This Report Is Groundbreaking
For the first time, Miami-Dade has a report that dissects the local gendered impact of gun violence. While national data tells one story, this report reveals Miami-Dade’s own gaps, showing where local agencies lack uniform processes for critical data collection, leaving women—especially women of color—invisible in the gun violence conversation.
“This is not just a national issue. Miami-Dade’s women, particularly Black and Hispanic women, are facing a silent epidemic of gun violence,” said Viviana Alvarado Pacheco, Director of Research and Policy at The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade. “But without proper data, policymakers are flying blind. This report is a wake-up call.”
The Local Challenges That Need Immediate Attention
· Data Blind Spots: Miami-Dade lacks gender- and race-disaggregated gun violence data, making it impossible to craft targeted interventions.
· Gender-based Violence Overlooked: Guns are used as tools of abuse and coercion in intimate partner violence, yet local policies do not adequately address this reality.
· Grassroots Leaders Filling the Gaps: Many local activists fighting gun violence are mothers and loved ones of victims, leading movements born out of grief rather than institutional support.
· Community Mistrust: Many survivors, particularly in Black and Hispanic communities, are reluctant to seek help due to fear of law enforcement and government institutions.
A Call to Action for Miami-Dade Leaders
The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade is calling on local officials, law enforcement, and community leaders to take immediate steps, including:
1. Closing Data Gaps – Require law enforcement agencies to track and adequately report gun violence cases by gender, race, and ethnicity to better understand local disparities.
2. Strengthening Gender-based Violence Protections – Enforce and expand firearm restrictions for domestic abusers to prevent predictable tragedies.
3. Investing in Culturally Competent Services – Ensure that support systems meet the needs of Black, Hispanic, and trans women, who face unique barriers to safety.
4. Supporting Community-Based Solutions – Fund grassroots organizations that provide direct services and advocacy in communities most affected by gun violence.
“We cannot continue to ignore the disproportionate impact of gun violence on women, regardless of their race or ethnicity,” said Lucia Davis-Raiford, president and CEO of The Carrie Meek Foundation. “For local leaders and communities to construct more effective interventions, we must better understand the challenges. That is where collection and analysis of data can make all the difference.”
About The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade
The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade is dedicated to creating positive change for women and girls through grantmaking, advocacy, research, and leveraging collective impact. Our vision is a Miami-Dade where power and possibility are NOT limited by gender
maximizing action, advocacy, and investing in key collaborative initiatives that generate sustainable impact in four pillars of Economic Mobility, Leadership, Health & Well-being, and Freedom From Violence.