The New Misdemeanor Dating Violence Federal Firearms Prohibition

In 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act partially closed what has sometimes been referred to as the “boyfriend loophole,” by expanding the federal firearm prohibition for people convicted of certain misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence to also include dating violence. This resource explains what changes the law made, how “dating relationships” are defined by this law, and how victim advocates can support survivors whose current or former dating partners may have access to, or be prohibited from accessing, firearms.