CHARITABLE FOUNDATION FOR REDUCING VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO.

>> ESTIMATED 1-5 HOMICIDE VICTIMS ARE KILLED BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER.

THAT IS ACCORDING TO THE FIGURES FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION.

LAWMAKERS ARE HOPING UPDATES TO SOME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAWS WILL LOWER THAT GRIM STATISTIC, AND HELP SURVIVORS OF ABUSE.

JOINING IS NOW TO TALK ABOUT STRENGTHENING THIS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAW, IS A DEMOCRAT WHO REPRESENTS HER KNEES.

SHE IS A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

THIS IS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

THIS IS THE LAKE COUNTY CRISIS CENTER.

WE HAVE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS FROM BOTH ILLINOIS HOUSING SENATE.

WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU ARE JOINING US TONIGHT.

AS A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE YOURSELF, WHAT ARE THE RECENT UPDATES TO ILLINOIS LAW THAT OFFER THE MOST PROTECTION TO SURVIVORS?

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

THE GENERAL HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THIS SPACE.

INCREASINGLY SO, SINCE COVID BROUGHT A LOT OF LIGHT TO THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRISIS THAT WE ARE IN, PEOPLE WERE TRAPPED AT HOME.

WE REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF EXTRA WORK.

WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO HAVE SOME TECHNOLOGY.

THOSE WHO LIVE IN COUNTIES, WE HAVE 250,000.

WE HAVE OTHER POPULATIONS.

WE ARE FILING FOR ORDERS OF PROTECTION ONLINE.

THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

THEY KNOW THEY ARE AFRAID TO LEAVE THEIR HOME.

THIS IS BECAUSE OF THEIR ABUSER.

THEY CAN'T TAKE OFF OF WORK.

WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT EXPANDED.

THIS IS ALL BEYOND THAT.

>> I WANTED TO ASK YOU EVERYTHING TO EXPAND ON THAT.

IT IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE RURAL COUNTIES, TO BE ABLE TO GET THE TECHNOLOGY WORKING.

>> THERE WAS SOME PUSHBACK.

THE COUNTIES WERE WORRIED ABOUT PRODUCTS.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE BIG STAFF TO IMPLEMENT THE TECHNOLOGY.

UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THOSE AREAS WOULD TAKE LITERALLY HOURS TO GET TO THE NEAREST COURTHOUSE.

THAT IS WHERE THEY HAVE DONE IT THE MOST.

THEY ARE EXPENDING THAT.

ONCE WE HAVE MORE ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS, IT WILL BE EASIER TO ROLL OUT IN THOSE RURAL AREAS.

>> TONY WAS STILL EXISTS WITH THE ORDER OF PROTECTION IN ILLINOIS.

CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT HAS AN ORDER AGAINST HIM.

THEY HAVE TO REVOKE THEIR CARD.

ACCORDING TO MOST OF THEM, 74% OF PEOPLE IN ILLINOIS, WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEIR CARDS REVOKED.

THEY HAVE NOT YET SEEN IT IN SO MANY OTHER INSTANCES.

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS OF MANPOWER.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING IN.

THEY ARE TAKING TOY CARS AND GUNS.

>> WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS.

WHEN SOMEBODY GETS AN ORDER OF PROTECTION, AT FIRST, IT IS THE EMERGENCY ORDER OF PROTECTION.

THE ABUSER ISN'T THERE.

THE VICTIM GOES IN, AND TELLS THE JUDGE WHAT HAPPENS.

THE JUDGE PUTS THEM IN IMMINENT DANGER, AND GIVES THEM AN EMERGENCY ORDER OF PROTECTION.

AT THAT POINT, THE ABUSER DOESN'T HAVE THEIR DATE IN COURT.

IF THEY WAIT UNTIL 30 DAYS, IT IS DIFFERENT.

THEY CAN GO BACK FOR A HEARING.

THEY HAVE ANOTHER ABUSER.

AT THAT POINT, THE JUDGE WILL ORDER A PRIMARY ORDER OF PROTECTION.

AT THAT POINT, THAT IS WHERE IT GETS REVOKED.

UNDER THE LAW, THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GIVE THEIR WEAPONS TO ANOTHER POINT CARDHOLDER.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF LEGAL DEBATES RIGHT NOW.

SOME OF THE PUSHBACK IS ONE OF THE CONCERNS FOR SAFETY.

THEY ARE TRYING TO GO IN TOWARD SOMEONE.

THEY ARE DANGEROUS.

THEY ARE COLLECTING WEAPONS.

THEY THINK ABOUT HOW THE VICTIM FEELS.

OFFICERS ARE AFRAID TO GO.

TWO, IT INCLUDES MANPOWER.

THEY HAVE COUNTLESS WEAPONS OUT THERE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COLLECTED.

THERE WERE SO MANY.

>> I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

WE HAVE SEEN AT ISSUE POP UP INSTANTLY DIFFERENT INSTANCES.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RED FLAG LAWS THAT ALLOWED THE BIPARTISAN FEES.

THEY HAVE IMMEDIATE CASES OF DOMESTIC ABUSE.

IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE SENATE THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CHAMBER?

>> IT GOT LATE IN THE SENATE.

MY HOPE IS THAT THEY WILL BRING A FACTOR DURING THE SESSION IN OCTOBER.

THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PASS IT.

I KNOW THEY HAVE FELT THE CATCH, JUST BECAUSE THERE IS SOME PUSHBACK.

IT IS THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION.

A LOT OF THINGS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT STORING THOSE WEAPONS.

ONCE THEY COLLECT THEM, THEY NEED THE PROPER FACILITIES TO BE ABLE TO STORE THEM.

I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, CAN WORK IT OUT.

THIS IS SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT THE VICTIMS.

WE NEED TO DO THAT FIRST.

THIS IS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE.

WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY.

>> WE ARE TRYING TO ADD THE YOUTH SPONSOR THAT HAS PASSED.

WE HAVE CONTACT ORDERS OF PROTECTION.

FROM EMAIL, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM HAS THIS BEEN FOR THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE?

THEY ARE STILL GOING TO BE INUNDATED WITH COMMUNICATION.

>> IT IS A BIG PROBLEM.

PREVIOUSLY, WHEN THE LAWS WERE ORIGINALLY WRITTEN, WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THESE ELECTRONIC THINGS.

ONCE WE DID, IT WAS UP TO THE JUDGE TO REMEMBER TO ADD IN THAT IT ALSO INCLUDED EMAILS.

IT ALSO INCLUDED FACEBOOK.

THIS LAW, INCLUDES ALL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS.

IT IS IMPORTANT.

THEY CANNOT ONLY HARASS THEIR VICTIMS, BUT IT CAN ALSO THREATEN THEM.

OFTEN TIMES, YOU WOULD SEE THE VICTIMS BE THREATENED.

THEY HAVE ORDERS OF PROTECTION.

THEY ARE GOING BACK TO AN UNFAITHFUL SITUATION.

THIS HELPS TO REALLY CUT OFF THE COMMUNICATION.

THEY ARE CUTTING OFF THE FEAR AND THE THREATS FROM AN ABUSER.

THEY ARE KEEPING VICTIMS SAFER.

>> WE ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

WE HAVE VICTIMS THAT DO GO BACK TO THEIR ABUSERS.

PEOPLE MIGHT ASK THEM, IF THIS PERSON IS SO BAD, WHY DO YOU GO BACK?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> IS A HORRIBLE QUESTION.

ONE THAT IS NATURAL TO CROSS HER MIND.

AS A SURVIVOR MYSELF, I KNOW THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AFFECTS SMART PEOPLE.

IT AFFECTS WEALTHY PEOPLE.

PEOPLE WILL ALSO SEE ON ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS.

IT IS A POVERTY AND RACE ISSUE.

REALLY, ABUSERS HAVE A WAY OF LOOKING AT WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO A VICTIM.

EVEN THREATENING CHILDREN.

IF YOU LEAVE, I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO YOUR CHILDREN.

EVEN THE STRONGEST PEOPLE, OUT OF FEAR FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN, OR THEIR OWN WELL-BEING, EVEN FINANCIAL REASONS, THEY WILL ENDURE SIGNIFICANT ABUSE.

THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS WHY.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

ABUSERS TEND TO HAVE ALL KINDS OF TOOLS OF MANIPULATION IN THESE