Grant to help domestic violence victims/JOLIET ILL Grant to help domestic violence victimsJOLIET — The county has a new way to help domestic violence victims.
It's a $750,000 federal grant and will be used to create the Victim Independence Program.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women gave the money to the county so Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow can hire an investigator, prosecutor and victim's advocate to focus exclusively on domestic violence cases. Glasgow wrote the grant and County Executive Larry Walsh applied for it.
It also will provide funding for the Will County Circuit Court to hire another person to write emergency orders of protection for victims of domestic abuse, Glasgow said. The money also will allow Lamb's Fold, a long-term shelter for women, and Groundwork, an emergency shelter for women, to hire on-site victim advocates to assist clients who have been abused.
Walsh will use some of the money to hire a coordinator to supervise the program, file its financial reports and compile the statistical data for the Office on Violence Against Women.
"Domestic violence charges are the most difficult to prosecute because the victims live under the specter of emotional, financial and physical intimidation while their cases are pending," Glasgow said. "Through this grant, we will create a comprehensive support network that will empower victims to follow through with prosecution."
Earlier this year, Walsh agreed to coordinate the grant-writing application process through the county executive's office.
"I am going to recruit a grant coordinator who has the knowledge, experience and sensitivity to shepherd this grant over the next two years. We will work closely with State's Attorney Glasgow, local law enforcement and social service agencies to coordinate the necessary services to the women of Will County who fall victim to domestic abuse," Walsh said. "This grant provides the money necessary to achieve that level of cooperation."
Glasgow praised Walsh's work on the project.
"My hat goes off to County Executive Walsh for his vision in recognizing the critical need for this grant and immediately authorizing me to submit this grant application under his signature," Glasgow said.
Domestic violence affects more than 32 million Americans. The federal government reports that approximately 1,300 people are killed by their abusers each year.
Nationally, an estimated 70 percent of domestic violence victims do not show up to court when their abusers go to trial, forcing prosecutors to drop the charges.
On Aug. 28, an incident involving domestic violence ended badly on Joliet's near West side. Silvia A. Addams, 50, was shot to death by her estranged husband at their home on Stone Street. Carl F. Addams, 49, then killed himself.
Silvia Addams had sought help, but she did not appear in court June 20 for her husband's trial on domestic battery charges, Glasgow said. The case was dismissed. Earlier this month, she asked for an emergency order of protection against him, but she didn't complete key sections of the order.
"This tragedy illustrates the complications police, prosecutors, victim advocates and judges face while handling these extremely difficult and emotional cases," Glasgow said. "The traditional methods of law enforcement do not work with domestic violence prosecutions, and we must strive to implement new initiatives like VIP in order to empower victims and successfully break the cycle of violence."
The federal grant also will provide money for:
• On-site training and education at local police departments for officers who handle domestic violence calls.
• Overtime for targeted police departments to pursue more aggressively abusers who violate orders of protection.
• Digital cameras for 35 police departments to document injuries caused by domestic abusers. The photos can be used as evidence and to secure orders of protection
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/city/4_1_JO04_GRANT_S10904.htm
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