Chicago and Cook County have stepped up efforts to try and address violence against women, with a new task force aiming to help survivors in court.
A task force looked for gaps in the system and put together a report with recommendations. The goal was to identify barriers that make it difficult for survivors to navigate the court system.
“When someone walks in the door, they’re seeking help from their government. It could be years of abuse before that moment happens, and we have to be ready as public servants for that moment and not shoo people around different courthouses up and down stairs and not be able to answer questions,” said Katie Dunne, the executive director of the non-profit Chicago 77.
The Chicago-Cook County Violence Against Women Task Force presented a report with its findings to the Chicago Public Safety Committee on Thursday. Elected officials and advocates pointed to a troubling trend: As violent crimes were going down in Chicago last year, domestic violence cases were rising, including a 56 percent increase in fatal shootings.
Over nine years, eight different judges have been assigned Sarah Brown’s domestic violence case. Each time, she has to retell her story. She recalls a particularly horrific moment.
“My son actually had to witness his father beating his then-girlfriend,” Brown said. “I was broken because I thought the system was here to not only protect me, but at this point, to protect my son.”
The task force also found problems with data collection and information sharing.
“The other more immediate disturbing fact was the orders of protection that were not served on victims who thought that they were being served,” said Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller.
That’s one of their recommendations: increase the number of protective orders and warrants served. Some other recommendations include:
Provide help, including trained staff and advocates, at every courthouse to help victims file protective orders. Mandate court recordings and free transcripts in every courtroom that hears cases involving victims and children. Increase data sharing. Increase transparency with Cook County court records. Share data between the city and county. Improve the data dashboards.Miller also said victims can have different experiences at different courthouses, so the task force wants to streamline the process when victims go to courthouses to file protective orders. Brown recounted her experience: filling out a 30-page document just to file that order, then waiting to see if an advocate was available to assist her.
“If (you don’t qualify) or you’re not passing their screening process, you’re put in a hallway where there’s moving traffic. You may see your abuser. You may see a family member of theirs. And it is a very lonely experience,” Brown said.
On July 15, the group will present its findings to the Cook County Board Criminal Justice Committee.
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