There are many victims of domestic violence in Illinois. These victims can be found in all walks of life and in all demographics. The problem is not isolated to one area or demographic of people. It can be very devastating for not only the individual victim, but their entire family. It also tends to pass from generation to generation if a child grows up in a home with domestic violence. That is why there are various shelters in Illinois and other programs designed to stop this trend and help end domestic violence.
One family shelter is holding a number of fundraising efforts this summer. They are currently putting together a team that will run in the Chicago Marathon and a team that will run in the Chicago Woman’s Half Marathon. They are currently seeking sponsors to sponsor these teams. They are also holding a karaoke event in August. This event will include a buffet dinner and a silent auction. These fundraising efforts will be used to help fund their programs, which includes education to help prevent future acts of domestic violence.
Domestic violence can be very disruptive for a family and shelters can be very valuable resources for the victims. There are ways that victims can help protect themselves beyond the shelters as well. They can seek to obtain a restraining order making it a crime for the abuser to have any contact with the victim. This includes being unable to come within a certain distance of the victim’s home or place of work and can also prohibit any phone contact or other forms of contact. If the abuser violated the order, they could be arrested and thrown in jail. Having this extra protection can give these people some peace of mind.
Unfortunately, domestic violence is not unheard of in Illinois and can affect those one would least expect. Victims do have various resources available to them, such as shelters and orders of protection, to prevent future contact with the abuser. Understanding how to obtain these legal orders can provide the extra protection a victim of domestic violence needs.
Source: NWI.com, “Various fundraising activities going on at South Suburban Family Shelter,” July 12, 2014