Photos By: Joe Ellis/UMMC Communications
Violence is part of life for many Mississippians from cradle to grave, according to a survey done in part by researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, but findings point to solutions already underway.
Findings of a survey conducted in 2025 showed half of all adults in Mississippi – or about 1.1 million people – reported having experienced physical violence in their lifetime. More than 20% reported exposure to gun violence. About 12.5% reported experiencing physical violence before age 13.
The Mississippi Violence Experiences Survey is a collaboration between UMMC’s Mississippi Center for Violence Research and Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute. Part of a larger, four-state effort, the survey is the most comprehensive, population-based assessment to date of Mississippians’ experiences with physical violence, sexual violence and intimate partner violence across the lifespan…