No one should live in fear of abuse.
Yet for too many Minnesotans, domestic violence and threats of harm are a daily reality. While courts can issue restraining orders and law enforcement can respond when called, these measures often come after violence has already occurred. True safety means being able to defend yourself and your family when danger strikes.
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus believes every law-abiding Minnesotan has the right to the tools necessary for survival — including firearms, training, and support. Below are critical resources if you or someone you love faces immediate danger.
If You Are in Immediate Danger
Call 911 immediately. Law enforcement can respond quickly to protect you and your loved ones in a life-threatening situation.
Emergency Hotlines
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• Minnesota Day One Crisis Hotline: 1-866-223-1111
(24/7 statewide network connecting you to shelters, advocacy programs, and resources)
• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
Important Note
Restraining orders are only paper. They cannot physically protect you. Your right to defend yourself is real, immediate, and fundamental. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus stands firmly for every Minnesotan’s ability to access the tools necessary to survive and stop violence.
Your Right to Self-Defense
Every Minnesotan deserves the ability to fight back against abuse, violence, and threats to their lives. Yet too often, politicians and activists pretend that a piece of paper or a “gun-free zone” sign is enough to stop a determined attacker. It isn’t. Survivors of domestic violence know the truth: when seconds matter, the government is often minutes away.
The right to defend yourself is not granted by politicians and it doesn’t disappear because of someone else’s bad behavior. It is a natural, fundamental right — one that belongs to you simply because your life has value and is worth defending.
At the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, we believe self-defense is the cornerstone of true safety. Courts and restraining orders may offer protection on paper, but real security comes from having the training, tools, and resolve to defend yourself and your loved ones when danger is at your door.
We exist to make sure law-abiding Minnesotans can exercise that right — without government interference, without delay, and without apology.
Self-Defense Options in Minnesota
Protecting yourself and your family requires preparation and the right tools. Minnesota law recognizes multiple ways for law-abiding citizens to defend themselves — from firearms to less-lethal tools. The key is knowing what’s legal, what works, and how to be prepared before danger strikes.
Firearms & Carry Permits
- Permit to Carry: In Minnesota, you need a permit to carry a handgun in public. Thanks to recent legal victories, eligible adults 18 and older can now apply for a permit.
- Emergency Permits: You can obtain an emergency permit to carry by notifying your Sheriff in the application process that you wish to pursue an emergency permit. This allows for the immediate issuance of a permit to carry if you are subject to a violent threat.
- Training: Applicants must complete approved safety training before applying with their county sheriff. MGOC recommends training courses that go beyond the basics — focusing on situational awareness, defensive shooting, and real-world scenarios.
- Peace of Mind: A firearm in the hands of a trained, law-abiding citizen is often the only effective defense against a violent attacker. But note that possession of a weapon may not be lawful for an “ineligible person” due to certain past criminal convictions or other background factors. If in doubt, consult a lawyer
Defensive Sprays
- Minnesota law allows adults to carry defensive sprays such as pepper spray without a permit.
- Compact and affordable, sprays can provide a non-lethal defensive option, especially in situations where carrying a firearm is restricted.
Stun Guns & Tasers
- Stun guns and Tasers are legal in Minnesota, though some restrictions apply. These can provide another layer of protection for those who prefer less-lethal means of defense.
Situational Awareness & Training
- Self-defense isn’t only about tools — it’s about mindset. Staying alert, trusting your instincts, and avoiding dangerous situations when possible are critical survival skills.
- For people with a reason to fear domestic assault, a tool to consider is video recording outside and inside the home. A Ring camera, other smart home security device, or similar video recording system, could provide valuable proof of an assault or self-defense event in the home.
Legal Rights and Protections
Minnesota law recognizes your right to protect yourself — but it also burdens that right with restrictions that the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus has fought, and continues to fight, to overturn. Knowing the law is essential, both to stay on the right side of it and to push back when government steps over the line.
Permit to Carry
- Who can carry: Minnesota law requires a permit to carry a handgun in public. Following recent court victories, permits must now be issued to all eligible applicants 18 and older — not just those over 21.
- Where you can carry: With a permit, you can carry in most public places. Certain locations (such as schools and courthouses) have other requirements before carry is possible. See our frequently asked questions for full answers.
Restraining Orders & Paper “Protections”
- A restraining order does not physically protect you. It may keep an abuser away on paper, but too often, those determined to harm ignore court orders.
- The law should never deny you the means to defend yourself simply because someone else is dangerous. Unfortunately, some politicians try to use restraining orders as a backdoor way to disarm law-abiding citizens.
Less-Lethal Tools
- Defensive sprays (pepper spray) are legal for adults without a permit.
- Stun guns and Tasers are also legal, though their effectiveness depends on training and proper use.
The Bottom Line
- Self-defense is not a crime. Minnesota law allows you to use reasonable force — including deadly force — to protect yourself or others if you are attacked.
- While prosecutors and activists may try to twist the law, the truth is simple: your life is worth defending.
- Consult with legal counsel for specific advice – we cannot provide legal advice.
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus will continue to fight against unconstitutional restrictions and ensure that Minnesotans can exercise their right to defend themselves without fear of arrest or prosecution.
Support Resources
No one should have to face violence alone.
Minnesota has a wide network of services to help survivors of abuse find safety, stability, and support. At the same time, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus works to ensure that survivors are not left defenseless by bad policy or political games.
Crisis Hotlines & Shelters
- Day One Crisis Hotline (Minnesota): 1-866-223-1111
Connects you to shelters, advocacy programs, and emergency services statewide. - National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Confidential, 24/7 help in over 200 languages. - Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
Shelter & Advocacy Programs
Minnesota shelters and advocacy organizations offer safe housing, counseling, legal assistance, and protective services. Many also partner with law enforcement to respond quickly to threats.
Address Confidentiality Program – “Safe at Home”
Minnesota operates an Address Confidentiality Program, called “Safe at Home“, to help survivors keep their home address private on public records — an important layer of protection against stalkers and abusers.
Mental Health & Recovery Support
Escaping abuse isn’t only about physical safety. It often involves rebuilding confidence, mental health, and independence. Minnesota crisis response teams and community health centers offer ongoing support.
Ranges & Training
Many gun ranges provide training and low-cost training options. Many ranges also have women’s nights or host courses like NRA’s Refuse to be a Victim.
Why This Matters for Gun Rights
Too often, survivors of abuse are told to rely solely on restraining orders, shelters, or delayed police responses. Those resources can help — but they cannot stand in for the immediate power of self-defense. Every survivor deserves the right to access firearms and other defensive tools to protect themselves and their children.
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus will never accept a system that tells survivors to “wait for help” while simultaneously trying to strip them of the ability to defend themselves. Safety delayed is safety denied.
How We Help
For survivors of domestic violence, safety isn’t just a policy debate — it’s a matter of life and death. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus exists to make sure that every law-abiding citizen, including survivors, has the ability to defend themselves when it matters most.
Fighting in the Courts
We’ve gone to court — and won — to restore rights stripped away by politicians. In Worth v. Jacobson (2024), we struck down Minnesota’s unconstitutional age restriction, ensuring that 18–20-year-old adults — who are often among the most vulnerable to abuse — can legally carry a firearm for self-defense.
Holding Government Accountable
From the legislature to state agencies to the University of Minnesota, we call out officials when they misuse public funds or push unconstitutional restrictions. We won’t allow partisan agendas to come before your right to defend yourself.
Standing With You
We are more than an advocacy group.
We are a community of thousands of Minnesotans — ready to fight for your rights, stand against government overreach, and make sure that the law never leaves you defenseless.
Take Charge of Your Safety — And Your Rights
Your safety is too important to leave in the hands of politicians, paper restraining orders, or the false promises of “gun-free zones.”
Real security comes from preparation, training, and the ability to defend yourself and your family when danger strikes.
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus is here to fight alongside you — in the courts, at the Capitol, and in every community across our state. But we can’t do it without you.
Here’s How You Can Act Today:
- Join MGOC: Become part of the only organization in Minnesota dedicated to defending your right to self-defense without compromise.
- Get Trained: Find a trusted instructor, sign up for a permit-to-carry course, or take a defensive training class. Knowledge builds confidence.
- Support Survivors: Share this page, connect someone in need with resources, and remind them they are not alone.
- Stay Engaged: Follow our updates, take action alerts, and help us hold politicians accountable when they threaten your rights.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Empower yourself, protect your loved ones, and stand with the thousands of Minnesotans who refuse to be victims.