BARNSTABLE – Donna Hannigan was one of the original members of the Cape Cod-based group Grandmothers Against Gun Violence. As the group evolves its mission and activities, she said, the focus remains on gun violence as a public health and safety issue, not a political issue.

The goal of Cape Cod Grandmothers Against Gun Violence is to raise awareness about gun violence.

The group stresses, “We are not opposed to guns per se. We are opposed to gun violence. We are currently focused on two goals: background checks for gun purchases and deeming gun trafficking a federal crime.”

The group also welcomes all comers. It is not just for grandmothers. Male or female; Republican, Democratic, or of any other political persuasion, are all welcome.

Grandmothers Against Gun Violence was created in January 2013 in the aftermath of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

The goals of the group include requiring federal and state background check systems that include mental health history; have gun trafficking declared a federal crime; enforce state gun laws; and raise public awareness of gun safety

The group has held informational meetings with Senator Dan Wolf, US Congressman William Keating, Representative Sarah Peake, District Attorney Michael O’Keefe, two Barnstable County Police Chiefs, Ron Holmes from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Jessica McHugh from the Suicide Prevention Coalition, and an NRA certified instructor.

Hannigan said, the group is collecting data on gun crimes in order to identify specific problem areas and craft solutions. Their model is statistics that were collected on automobile crashes.

The group is also working with Media Literacy Now on how violence in the media affects gun violence, especially video games where frequently a killing is required to advance.

Listen below to Donna Hannigan of Grandmothers Against Gun Violence.