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 "Domestic violence knows no boundaries. It
hurts families in all neighborhoods, in all areas or communities in
Illinois," Blagojevich said. "We must do all we can to protect women
and children from abuse. This help line will give victims of
domestic violence a place to turn, no matter where they live in the
state, and where they can immediately get the information and
services they need."
The new service, managed by the Department of
Human Services, was made possible through a statewide expansion of
Chicago's Domestic Violence Help Line. The toll-free number
functions as a clearinghouse for domestic violence services and
information. Callers will be connected to staff known as victim
information and referral advocates, or VIRAS. These trained
advocates will link survivors to domestic violence services in their
communities, including shelter, counseling, legal services and
partner abuse intervention programs. Advocates may also identify
nontraditional domestic violence services, provide safety planning
or tips, and help survivors explore service options.
The new service is designed to protect the
confidentiality of the caller and to meet the information and
referral needs of callers throughout the state. Bilingual and
bicultural Spanish-speaking advocates are always available, and
interpretation services for more than 170 languages are immediately
accessible to address the needs of other non-English-speaking
callers. Additionally, the Illinois Statewide Domestic Violence
Helpline provides a TTY number, 1-877-863-6339, that increases
access to domestic violence services for the deaf and hard of
hearing by providing the most up-to-date technology.
"Expanding the help line throughout the state
will increase access to services for victims in small towns who may
be reluctant to contact their hometown provider," said Department of
Human Service Secretary Carol L. Adams, Ph.D. "Callers to the help
line are not only given referrals, but they can also become
connected immediately through a confidential three-way phone link
between the caller and the domestic violence services and the help
line."
In addition to directly providing support to
Illinois residents, the service will benefit other governmental and
nonprofit agencies and providers. All nonprofit social services
agencies, law enforcement, and religious and government institutions
can now call 1-877-TO-END-DV for information and links to domestic
violence services. The service is only one of the most recent
efforts of the Blagojevich administration to address the needs of
women and children affected by domestic violence.
Blagojevich signed the Victims' Economic
Security and Safety Act into law on Aug. 25, 2003, making Illinois
one of 11 states that have laws providing nondiscrimination and
leave provisions for victims of domestic or sexual violence. The law
allows employees who are victims of domestic or sexual violence, or
who have a family or household member who is a victim of domestic or
sexual violence, with up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave in any
12-month period to seek medical attention, legal assistance and
counseling.
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Blagojevich signed the Ensuring Success in Schools Act on Aug. 30
this year. The purpose of this new law is to ensure that young
people who are victims of domestic or sexual violence can stay safe
in school. The law has created a task force to develop policies and
procedures to be implemented by school districts. The law also
requires a biannual in-service training for school personnel on the
needs of students who are victims of domestic or sexual violence.
In conjunction with this announcement, the
governor issued an Illinois Domestic Violence Awareness Month
proclamation that urges victims to use the toll-free line for
assistance. The proclamation states:
WHEREAS, domestic
violence is a prevalent social problem in Illinois that not only
negatively affects the victim, but also affects the victim's family,
friends and community at large; and
WHEREAS, domestic
violence knows no boundaries. It exists in all neighborhoods and
cities, and it has no racial, economic, or social barriers; and
WHEREAS, in
Illinois alone, there are approximately 115,000 to
125,000 domestic crimes each year; and
WHEREAS, the
health-related costs of rape, physical assault, stalking, and
homicide by intimate partners exceed $5.8 billion every year, and
the annual cost of lost productivity in the workplace due to
domestic violence is estimated at $727.8 million, with over 7.9
million paid workdays lost per year; and
WHEREAS, the
Illinois Department of Human Services is dedicated to ensuring that
Illinois residents live free from domestic violence, promoting
prevention, and working in partnership with communities to advance
equality, dignity, and respect for all; and
WHEREAS, the
Illinois Department of Human Services also funds 64 multi-service
domestic violence programs throughout the state, offering counseling
and advocacy, legal assistance, children's services, and shelter and
support services at no cost to the victim; and
WHEREAS, this
year the Illinois Department of Human Services has expanded the City
of Chicago's Domestic Violence Helpline, 1-877-TO END DV, to provide
a toll-free, 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, multilingual, confidential
service to all Illinois residents:
THEREFORE, I, Rod
R. Blagojevich, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby
proclaim October 2007 as ILLINOIS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
in Illinois to raise awareness about the problem of domestic
violence, and urge all victims to seek help by either calling a
local helpline or visiting a local help center.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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