There are many instances of domestic abuse in Illinois each year. The abuse comes in the form of both physical and emotional abuse. It can have a very detrimental effect on the parties involved, as well as on the families of both the victim and the abuser. Police attempt to combat domestic violence, but most of the time they arrive after the abuse has occurred and the damage is done.
Authorities in Chicago are creating a task force to better address domestic violence. The task force will consist of the Chicago Police Department and the Department of Family and Support Services. One goal of the task force is to provide the police officers with better training on how to respond to high-risk domestic situations. The task force will also focus on obtaining better services for the victims of the abuse.
Generally, domestic violence involves a highly emotional situation, which boils over into an abusive situation. It can be hard to prevent the violence from occurring because many times the police do not arrive until after the situation has turned physical. That is why victims of domestic violence can receive orders of protection to prevent the abuser from having contact with them. This is an attempt to prevent the opportunity for abuse.
There are three types of orders of protection in Illinois. The first type is an emergency order while the second is a temporary order; both types provide only short-term protection. A person can also obtain a long-term order if the abuse is likely to continue for a longer period of time. A violation of any of these orders is a crime and the violator may be arrested.
Source: NBC Chicago, “Force-234271131.html”>Chicago Starts New Domestic Violence Task Force,” Dec. 3, 2013