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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
THE CHICAGO-COOK COUNTY VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TASK FORCE
WHEREAS, the County of Cook is a home rule unit of government pursuant to 1970 Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6 (a); and,
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is a home rule unit of government pursuant to the 1970 Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6 (a); and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago’s Violence Reduction Dashboard reports there has been a 61.5 percent increase in fatal domestic shootings and a 22.6 percent increase in domestic homicides as of September 11, 2025, in the City of Chicago. Comparatively, overall homicides have reduced by 29.4 percent; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago Inspector General reports that so far this year there have been 56,930 calls to 911 for domestic disturbances, 17,185 for domestic batteries, and 13,018 calls relating to violations of orders of protections; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office reports 451 charges for felony domestic violence cases and 9,559 domestic violence misdemeanor charges filed in the year of 2025 as of September 22nd; and
WHEREAS, the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence reported a 110 percent increase in domestic-related deaths in 2023 in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, the Network Against Domestic Violence reports that during the year of 2024 in the City of Chicago there were no beds or cribs available in domestic violence shelters for 130 days and there were 30,010 calls to the domestic violence hotline from Cook County residents; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) indicates that 41 percent of women and 25 percent of men experience sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, the National Violent Death Reporting System reports that death by a spouse or intimate partner in Illinois in 2022, was more per capita (.49 percent) as the reporting submitted for the states of New York and California combined (.41 percent); and
WHEREAS, the 2026 budget request for the United States Department of Justice has proposed up to 30 percent funding cuts to domestic violence programming, including $207.5 million to the Office on Violence Against Women;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners;
Section 1.
There is hereby created an advisory task force entitled the Chicago-Cook County Task Force to Reduce Violence Against Women to make recommendations to the Mayor of the City of Chicago, the Chicago City Council, the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and the Cook County Board of Commissioners concerning the formulation of a comprehensive strategy to collaboratively address violence against women in the City of Chicago and the County of Cook.
The Chicago-Cook County Task Force shall initiate a whole-government approach; incorporate the findings of previous and concurrent task forces relating to women and vulnerable communities; and will strictly focus on governmental responsibility to address violence against women; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED;
The Chicago-Cook Task Force shall be composed of all appointed officials, elected county stakeholders, departmental commissioners, or their designees.
In Cook County, these entities shall include representatives from the following appointees: the Cook County Board President, Cook County Commissioners Donna Miller, Alma E. Anaya, Bridget Degnen, Bridget Gainer, Cook County Sheriff, Cook County State’s Attorney, Cook County Public Defender, Public Guardian’s Office, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Cook County Health and Hospitals, and at least four (4) designees from the Office of the Chief Judge that specialize in the Court operations and management for Juvenile Justice, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, and the programming for Juvenile Justice, GPS, Pretrial and Probation and at least one representative from the Office of the Chief Judge’s Executive Team.
All departments should participate in ongoing channels for cross-departmental and governmental collaboration, analyze research and evidence-based practices, identify gaps in data-sharing and funding needs, and determine policy recommendations for future collaborative actions. The Task Force shall gather monthly as an intra-governmental assembly to deliberate and hear expert testimony regarding the following topic areas:
(a) Systemic Mapping, Policies, Operational Responsibilities
(b) Data Collection, Transparency, and Collaboration
(b) Resources and Funding Priorities
(d) Oversight and Accountability
(e) Legislative Requirements and Priorities
(f) Public Awareness and Community Engagement.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED;
These efforts shall commence on December 1, 2025, and conclude on May 31, 2026. An official report of recommendations must be submitted by July 1, 2026, to the Chicago City Council and the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
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