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The Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah and its lobbying affiliate Gun Violence Prevention Campaign of Utah, were founded in 2001 by a group of citizens who believe that we need to, and can, do far more to protect society from the misuse of guns. We also believe it is possible to accomplish this and still maintain the ability of citizens to own and possess firearms for legitimate recreational purposes.

The Center and the Campaign are the successors of Utahns Against Gun Violence ("UAGV"), which was established in 1994 by Ron and Norma Molen, whose son was shot to death in a college dormitory several years ago.

The mission of the Gun Violence Prevention Center is to educate Utahns about the merits of such moderate gun-violence prevention measures as universal background checks, bans on the sale of military-style assault rifles, and limitations on the places where concealed weapons can be carried. To that end representatives of the Center carry on a variety of activities, including the submission of newspaper and magazine articles and letters to the editor, public speaking appearances and consultation with lawmakers and community leaders about policy issues directed towards reducing gun violence.

The Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah is built on the philosophy that reasonable regulations on firearms can lead to significant reductions in the occurrence of gun violence; they will not lead to confiscation or other severely restrictive measures that some predict. Indeed, the strength and stability of our society is not a product of gun ownership, but of our institutions, our Constitution and the commitment of our citizens to the rule of law.

GVPC Fact Sheets (requires PDF reader)
GVPC Board of Directors