Suggested Readings

Shreve, Anita. Strange Fits of Passion. 1991.

October in Illinois always represents a changing of the seasons with its brisk evenings, warm days, and brilliant colors of red, yellow, and orange decorating the natural landscape. October also is associated with the color purple, which represents domestic violence because October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, as declared by both President George Bush and Illinois Governor George Ryan. This is a time to raise public awareness of the problem and to mobilize more people to say to their friends, relatives, and compatriots that it is wrong to hit those they love or to use hurtful words, or worse.

This October, the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) chose not only to highlight the problem, but to honor those individuals and entities that have made commitments to help victims and the programs that serve them. To this end, ICADV held its annual Human Dignity Awards event in Chicago on the 18^th of October. Honorees included Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley; Kraft Foods North America, Betsy Holden CEO; and Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, a surprise award was given to Victor Rivers.

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley provides help to victims and advocates throughout the metropolitan Chicago area through the creation of a domestic violence unit within the mayor's office. The Mayor's Office on Domestic Violence (MODV) has gone far to more effectively respond and intervene in domestic violence through the creation of the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council that includes representatives from local community-based organizations, the Chicago Police Department, and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. The MODV also oversees Chicago's first Help Line, which is a toll-free, multilingual, and confidential number that serves as a clearinghouse for domestic violence victim services. Leslie Landis of the MODV accepted the award on behalf of Mayor Daley. Landis said that working in the MODV has been a challenging and rewarding job, knowing that the work is saving lives.

Kraft Foods North America, Betsy Holden CEO, provides substantial monetary support to domestic violence programs across the State of Illinois and encourages economic independence of victims. Kraft Foods, North America has created a workplace policy on domestic violence that includes zero-tolerance. Brochures were sent to employees with their paychecks, explaining that domestic violence resources are available in the restrooms. Kraft also partnered with MODV and the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network to develop programs in Chicago. Kraft also conducted two conferences on domestic violence in the workplace that reached more than 480 corporate and non-profit leaders. Additionally, Kraft developed the National Domestic Violence/Self-Sufficiency Grant Program to support programs that assist women survivors to become economically self-sufficient-an important step for many victim/survivors. Kraft also supports programs that reach very poor women in under-served communities, immigrant women, and that prevent violence. Kraft provides money to programs for crisis intervention, counseling and other supportive services, emergency housing, legal advocacy, and food for shelters. Patricia Garza, Manager for Corporate Contributions, accepted the award on behalf of Kraft Foods North America. Garza said that she was proud to be part of an organization that did so much good for victims of domestic violence.

Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan was elected to office in 1994. Since then, he has promoted legislation for domestic violence victims, as well as for other victims of crime. The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has also been working with hospital emergency departments to create domestic violence intervention sites. This work is designed to create a team comprised of hospital staff and local domestic violence service provider staff to help ensure safety and privacy, as well as promote an atmosphere conducive to the disclosure of domestic violence on the part of the patient. The AGO is also developing a program that will provide domestic violence victims with a secret mailing address. Additionally, information is supplied to law enforcement officials to present to domestic violence victims about their rights as crime victims, as well as where victims might obtain help. The AGO has worked with Polaroid to help train law enforcement officers with the collection of evidence at the scene of domestic violence crimes, so that evidence-based prosecutions might go forward, thereby protecting victims from having to testify against their abusers in court. Through legal settlements, such as the one with Nine West Shoe Co., the AGO has provided money to domestic violence programs for their clients' medical and dental care. Attorney General Ryan accepted his award saying that he finds it gratifying to have helped promote the changes that have occurred over the years to better serve and protect domestic violence victims, while making perpetrators responsible for their behavior.

Actor Victor Rivers, former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman, and the spokesman for the National Network to End Domestic Violence, was the featured speaker. When Victor Rivers speaks about the issue of domestic violence, he tells the heartbreaking story of a twelve year-old boy who went to his local police department seeking help. There, the boy disrobed for the officers and showed them the cuts, bruises, welts, and burns that covered his body, telling how his father had been doing this to him, his siblings, and even worse to his mother. Though the officers were horrified to hear about incidents of domestic violence that were on the level of torture, they told the boy there was little they could do. It was, they said, a private family matter. The year was 1967 and the boy was Rivers himself.

While much has changed in terms of awareness and programs to assist victims of domestic violence, it remains the most under-reported crime in America. For this reason, Rivers has chosen to lend his voice and his story as a witness and survivor to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), an alliance of shelters and state-wide advocacy groups around the country. The NNEDV is the preeminent domestic violence organization lobbying Congress and developing public policy, including the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and 2000.

Many directors and staff of domestic violence programs from throughout the State of Illinois attended the gala event, as did Lynn Rosenthal, Director of NNEDV and Jennifer Welch, Director of the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network. Cheryl Howard, Executive Director of ICADV, and Martha Daly, President of the ICADV Board of Directors, presented awards, one of which was presented as a surprise to Rivers.

Funding for this event was graciously provided by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois, the Caterpillar Foundation, and the Motorola Foundation. Also, this program was supported by Kraft Foods North America, part of the Philip Morris family of companies. These organizations are the corporate allies in the fight against domestic violence. Their commitment to eradicate domestic violence, through corporate leadership, by creating model policies to help their victim employees is exemplary.