The Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) has released its annual Domestic Violence Homicide Report for 2023, noting a dramatic increase in the number of deaths resulting from domestic violence in the state. ICADV reports 120 people died in 94 separate incidents, an increase of 121 percent over 2022. Of the 120 deaths in 2023, 56 percent of victims were female. Victims range in age from under one year to 86 years. Firearms were the means of death in 68 percent of the incidents indicating that removal of firearms is a life-saving effort. 13 deaths were individuals who killed and then turned the guns on themselves taking their own life.  On June 21, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling in the United States V Rahimi case, upholding a decades old law that prohibits respondents subject to protection orders from possessing firearms.

The ruling in the Rahimi case illustrates that reducing access to guns where domestic violence is occurring is universally recognized as homicide prevention. The full 2023 Domestic Violence Homicide Report containing more detail about the relationships of perpetrators and victims, counties with highest rates, and means of homicide/suicide can be viewed at: https://ilcadv.coalitionmanager.org/resourcemanager/resourcefile/details/2833. The Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) is the federally designated statewide coalition of domestic violence services providers for the State of Illinois. With over 50 member organizations providing direct service to families throughout Illinois, together we work towards ending domestic violence in our state. If you or someone you know is a survivor of domestic violence, help is available. Please visit www.ilcadv.org/get-help or call the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at 877-863-6338.