By: Ashmar Mandou

According to the Chicago Police Department (CPD), approximately 200,000 domestic related calls for help occur annually. Each year, those incidents result in 30 to 40 domestic violence homicides in the city.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network marked the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month at the Thompson Center, alongside Mayor Rahm Emanuel and domestic violence advocates and survivors, to help raise efforts to end domestic violence.

“Community members can take a stand against domestic violence in their church, in their children’s school, at their place of business, in their colleges and universities, and all places where victims or abusers are found,” Dawn Dalton, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network.

At the rally, members of the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network, domestic violence advocates and survivors, and community members marched through downtown Chicago to raise awareness. “Domestic violence awareness month will help shine a light on victims who too often live in the shadows,” said Mayor Emanuel at the press conference.

Committed to ending domestic violence, the CPD and Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) will work together to create an effective strategy to respond to domestic violence.

“We are thankful for the community partners we have from across this city who are sending messages to abusers and survivors that abuse in the home is not okay. We invite everyone to find their role in ending domestic violence,” said Dalton.

At the rally, CPD, DFSS, and the Mayor revealed three areas of focus as they work to eradicate domestic violence: ‘identifying high-risk domestic violence incidents and responding appropriately; developing state-of-the-art training for Chicago Police Officers; and working with organizations such as the Battered Women’s Network to increase access to services for victims of domestic violence and their families.’

This past May, the City announced the first expansion of domestic violence shelters in more than a decade thanks to the partnership with the Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS), Metropolitan Family Services, and the Greater Southwest Development Corporation. The new shelter will be situated in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood and will aim to serve 100 families a year. For more information and support, anyone can call the domestic violence help line at 877-863-6338.

Additionally, there are several non-profit organizations equipped to help domestic violence victims at no cost. Below are just a few organizations.

Casa Central
Violence Prevention and Intervention
The program provides court advocacy, securing an order of protection, and referrals to long-term counseling programs. For more information, call 773-645-2407.

Mujeres Latinas en Acción
Mujeres’ Domestic Violence Program provides comprehensive services to survivors and victims of domestic violence from legal advocacy to individual and group counseling. The organization has a 24 hour crisis hotline, 312-738-5358.

Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network
The Network has a plethora of services to help families who have through domestic violence. You can connect with the organization by calling 312-527-0730.

You can also call the State of Illinois 24 hour Helpline at 877-863-6338.