The possibility of an intruder breaking into your home is a truly terrifying one. In 2024, there were around 2.5 million burglaries in the U.S. It’s natural to want to protect your material belongings and loved ones, but people often disagree on the ways to do that.

This couple got into an argument after the boyfriend refused to apologize for the way he defended his home and his ailing mother. The girlfriend believed that violence was never the answer, and the guy was more of a realist. Both refusing to budge, they reached an impasse: who was actually right?

After one fateful night, a man and his GF found out they had differing views about protecting their home from intruders

Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)

As their conflict continued, the guy sought opinions online on whether he handled the attempted home invasion badly

Image credits: pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: FxllenWxaith

It can be hard when couples disagree about political issues, yet they should still strive to find common values in their differing views

Couples have disagreements about lots of things: what to eat for dinner, whose parents to visit for Thanksgiving, and where to put that new artwork one of them just bought. However, some conflicts can be about their core beliefs, such as having children, the institution of marriage, or gun ownership.

A 2024 poll revealed that when dating, 27% of women think that owning a gun is a red flag. In contrast, only 13% of the respondents who were men thought the same. But would it be a deal-breaker? According to one survey, it might be, because it’s the fifth most popular interest that would be a deal-breaker for both men and women.

So, when partners disagree about ownership, it can become quite a strain on the relationship. Generally, experts recommend respecting each other’s views and opinions, however hard that might be. The partners don’t need to agree on the issue, they just need to respect one another’s opinion.

According to Gottman-certified therapist Dr. Kathy McMahon, it’s hard, maybe downright impossible, to change your partner’s political views. The same goes for such an issue as gun ownership. Yet you still should strive to understand your partner’s perspective.

“Couples can strive to find common values, such as a shared commitment to justice, compassion, or the well-being of their family, to bridge the gap between their differing beliefs,” Dr. McMahon writes.

Men and women in the U.S. have very different views towards firearms

If we were to believe gender stereotypes, we would probably say that the conflict in the OP’s story is a classic one. Man believes he’s the protector of the house, hence, he gets a firearm and isn’t afraid to use it just like any other guy in an ’80s action movie. Interestingly, data shows that men are more likely than women to own guns; almost two times more likely!

According to a 2022 Gallup survey, there’s a pretty significant gender gap when it comes to gun ownership and attitudes towards its laws in the U.S. More men than women have been gun owners in the past 20 years, for example. In 2022, 43% of men said they own a gun, while only 22% of women admitted to being gun owners.

Men and women also have differing views when it comes to gun ownership laws. Women tend to have stricter opinions, thinking that the country needs to regulate gun ownership more. In fact, 62% of women respondents said that the sale of firearms should be made more strict. In contrast, 51% of men thought the same.

Interestingly, even if they’re gun owners, women would want to see stricter gun laws, as 40% of the women respondents said so. Men, on the other hand, seem to be more lax, as 32% of the respondents said they would like gun ownership to be more regulated.

Many people sided with the man: “I would take a very long look at my girlfriend”

Others blamed him for not taking gun safety seriously and possibly putting his mother and GF in even more danger

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