The sense of isolation that is a by-product of domestic violence is something that Ann Henslee, the victim witness coordinator for the state attorney`s office in McHenry County, would like to change.
”The law doesn`t stop at the front door,” she said. ”It continues on inside the home.”
Airing dirty laundry in public is still taboo for the average American. Yet, hiding secrets of what occurs inside the home smothers the domestic violence victim, according to Henslee. ”Why does our gender continue to bear the embarrassment of domestic violence? The batterer should be the one embarrassed,” she said.
A variety of seminars and educational programs are available to help those who work with sexual assault and domestic violence victims. The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, a network of sexual assault centers, and the Illinois Crime Prevention Association (composed of police officers and private security agencies) and city police departments are also working to improve their approach to victims and reduce crime through educational programs such as the one recently completed by Hanover Park police officers, which was sponsored by their department and the Community Crisis Center in Elgin.
Another area of education is focusing on the abusers. Abusers can be court mandated or voluntarily enrolled in a comprehensive domestic violence treatment program offered by area crisis centers.
Yet Henslee is quick to warn that the court system also brings about its own pain. ”It certainly is not Christmas. We try to be sensitive. It is not our intention for women to feel more victimized, but the arduously slow process creates a high level of tension within a battering situation.”
Laws protecting victims of sexual assault and domestic violance are also continually being questioned and changed. Still pending before Congress is the Violence Against Women Act, which demands greater penalties for rape, aggravated rape and repeat sex offenders.
The Illinois Sexual Assault Act, passed in 1984, focuses on the behavior of the offender instead of the victim, carrying serious penalties for crimes against children, older people and those with disabilities. It also allows marital rape to be brought to court. And in July, Gov. Jim Edgar signed legislation that allows law-enforcement officials to imprison stalkers before they can harm or kill victims.
