'Scream 7' shows us a different way to survive the night | Opinion

Amid the usual jump scares and plot twists, there’s an important safety lesson in the latest installment of "Scream." And it’s likely something you didn’t even notice: firearms stored locked up in a safe. 

For decades now, we’ve gotten to watch Sidney Prescott become an iconic character in horror movies – cementing her titles as one of the most resilient “final girls” who survive villains. She has always fiercely fought to protect her friends and family from every iteration of Ghostface.

In "Scream 7," Sidney is no longer a teenager or young adult; she’s a responsible, loving mom. As a mom myself, I know that Sidney would do anything to protect her children, fighting all threats with whatever tools she has.

As a gun owner, her character would certainly make sure to use and handle her guns responsibly, including by locking them up in a safe at work. 

These depictions matter. When the first "Scream" film was released in 1996, car crashes were the leading killer of kids in America. Today, guns are.

'Scream 7' shows Hollywood can change our norms on gun safety

In the United States, almost half of all gun owners don’t store their guns securely – meaning locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition. According to analysis from Brady, every day in America, eight kids are unintentionally injured or killed because of an unsecured firearm.

But we can change this. Simply storing firearms safely is a key step to preventing these kinds of tragedies. Studies show that interventions with even a 20% increase in the number of households practicing safer storage could prevent up to a third of annual youth gun deaths from suicide and unintentional shootings.

Television and film can help model these safety measures and change our behaviors to promote safe gun ownership. Research shows that audiences often adopt the behaviors and attitudes of their favorite on-screen characters.

When writers and directors take the time to show characters properly storing their firearms, we can inspire audiences everywhere to do the same. It’s why Brady is leading this work in Hollywood, with the biggest TV shows and blockbuster movies increasingly following our vision for a safer America.

Untapping the power of Hollywood is a tried-and-true strategy that has dramatically reduced other public health epidemics, including drunken driving and motor vehicle deaths.

Decades ago, Hollywood teamed up with researchers to spread the idea of “designated driver” on TV shows like "Cheers" and model seat belt safety on shows like "Family Ties." The results helped save lives, with deaths from drunken driving plummeting and seat belt usage skyrocketing since the 1980s when Hollywood got on board.

Now, it’s time for film and television to use that same power to promote gun safety and help drive down the No. 1 killer of kids in America. 

Over the years, the "Scream" movies have taught us a lot. They have taught us longtime rules of horror movies and what to do if you want to stay alive: Never be promiscuous, never drink or do drugs, and never say “I’ll be right back.” This time around, "Scream 7" is teaching us something else: just how easy it is to show gun safety on screen.

While audience members can take advice from Sidney and other characters on what to do to survive the night, they will also take in a message on storing their firearms safely – preventing real gun violence in their own daily lives.

Kris Brown is the president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence, the nation’s oldest organization working to free America from gun violence.