Absent from the recent public safety debate is a frank discussion of strategies to address domestic violence, or gender-based violence, even though an alarming number of women have been killed after seeking assistance from the Cook County court system.
The past few years have been terrifying for women. Violent crimes and sexual assaults have been skyrocketing, while arrests and clearance rates by police have gone down. Victims brave enough to come forward are waiting years for justice, while those charged with victimizing them are released back into our communities.
Domestic violence is five times more likely to affect women than the most prevalent communicable disease in Chicago. Black women in particular are being victimized. Last year, nearly 80% of those killed were Black; 1 in 4 crimes were committed against Black women.
The appalling clearance rates for assaults against women are a direct result of the absence of a comprehensive, protective program.
Exacerbating matters is the SAFE-T Act, which eliminated cash bail and included other nonsensical provisions aimed at deterring the detention of suspects of violent crime. The flawed legislation allows for discretion in gender-based violence cases.
This discretion is provided without much data being collected or shared. The courts hide behind an archaic law that exempts their records from the Freedom of Information Act.
The Illinois State Police’s law enforcement automated data system (LEADS) and the data it houses are also exempt. In fact, locating information regarding gender-based violence from these agencies is very difficult. Yet, there have been repeated tragedies in Chicago, in which victims and their children have been killed or harmed. Now imagine being a victim of gender-based violence and having to trust this system to safeguard your life and the lives of your children.
To ensure justice is served and that survivors and their children receive the resources and care they need, many governmental departments need to be working together effectively.
Cook County government and its criminal and civil court systems play critical roles in ensuring victims of violence receive safety, resources and justice. This includes the chief judge’s office, whose judges are assigned to these cases; the county sheriff who is tasked with serving the orders of protection so that they can be enforced; the state’s attorney, who is to be the victim’s advocate in seeking justice; and the Illinois State Police who oversee LEADS, which serves as a repository for information, including orders of protection. This entire system is failing victims.
What should the mayor do to better protect women in Chicago?
First, he must focus on the most important step: Orders of protection must be served in a timely and effective manner. Oftentimes, these orders mandate that the perpetrator of violence must leave the premise, transfer ownership of firearms and relinquish firearm owner’s identification cards.
The Chicago Police Department needs to start checking the database and begin serving any orders that are outstanding. This will ensure that the court’s orders of protection are valid and enforceable and actually providing protection to victims. This would also allow police the ability to arrest those who violate a judge’s orders to stay away from those they are accused of victimizing.
Second, the city’s other agencies, such as Departments of Housing, Pubic Health, and Family and Support Services should all be coordinating care and prioritizing new services for victims of gender-based violence, including housing, trauma-informed care and employment assistance.
Primacy needs to be given to securing housing in every police district so that safe places for women and children fleeing violence are provided 24/7. Unoccupied residential facilities need to be secured by the city through the eminent domain process or purchased through local tax court. These properties can then be turned over to community-based organizations to provide safe places.
Third, a position must be created for a first assistant police superintendent for gender-based violence who would prioritize police effectiveness, implement training and best practices, and ensure victims are protected. This official would implement policies and violence interdiction strategies, ensure data collection and reporting, and lead efforts to collaborate with social services and the criminal justice system.
Finally, the city needs to create its own witness protection program that could safeguard witnesses, victims and their families. This should include enhanced penalties for those who threaten or do harm to witnesses and victims. Revenues from seized property and crime-related fines could be used to cover relocation costs.
It is clear there is an epidemic of gender-based violence crisis in Chicago that our government seems to be ignoring; it is failing women through a lack of transparency and the will to keep the accused in jail.
It’s time to make women’s safety our priority.
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Paul Vallas is an adviser for the Illinois Policy Institute. He ran for Chicago mayor in 2019 and 2023 and was previously budget director for the city and CEO of Chicago Public Schools.
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