Order of Protection - Chicago Illinois Family Law Blog
How to File for an Order of Protection in Illinois
When we enter into a relationship, we do so with a sense of trust. We trust that our partners will not just be kind and respectful, but also offer us a safe place to relax and be vulnerable in. Unfortunately, there are some people who take advantage of that trust and vulnerability. If you are living with an abusive partner, then you need to find somewhere safe to say and then file an order of protection. Nothing is more important than your safety. Even if your partner tries to dissuade you from leaving and getting help, put yourself first and ask the court for the protection you are in dire need of.
Orders of Protection in Illinois
The Illinois State Police have some troubling statistics on their website: every 15 seconds, a woman in the U.S. is beaten, often by a romantic partner. To combat this, the State of Illinois passed the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, and our recent Supreme Court rulings have put more “teeth” into the legislation.
October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Victims of domestic violence understand that the physical and emotional trauma lasts long after the actual abuse has stopped. One of the greatest challenges is the lack of support from institutions such as law enforcement, society at large, and even friends and family members who don’t understand what it means to be a victim of assault.
October has been designated Domestic Violence Awareness Month to change this.
Steelers Running Back Chris Rainey Cut from Team for Alleged Assault on His Girlfriend
Whether a couple is married, involved in a civil union, or in any other intimate relationship, physical or mental abuse, also referred to domestic violence, is unacceptable and does not have to be lived with. As reported by The Associated Press and The New York Daily News, rookie running back 24-year-old Chris Rainey has been cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers because of physical harm he caused to his girlfriend.
Rainey was arrested in Gainesville, Florida and charged with a single count of battery after fighting with his girlfriend. The actual altercation was over a cell phone, but afterwards Rainey attempted to pull her out of a vehicle. He allegedly slapped her as she attempted to run away from him. Pittsburgh’s general manager, Kevin Colbert, was reported as saying that due to Rainey’s conduct, he would be cut from the team.
Attorney Jeffrey Knipmeyer Supports Helping Those in Need during Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Attorney Jeffrey Knipmeyer Supports Helping Those in Need during Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is doing its part to raise public awareness of the issue. As an experienced Illinois family law attorney at Nottage and Ward, Jeffrey Knipmeyer recognizes the importance of helping domestic violence victims receive the help and support they need to escape dangerous situations that can have a devastating impact on their health and well-being as well as those of their children.
Domestic Violence Defined
The NCADV defines domestic violence as “the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another.” Such abuse can be inflicted onto a girlfriend, boyfriend, wife, husband, partner, and/or child. The physical, emotional, and psychological effects of such horrible actions have long-term and even permanent consequences for the victim as well as those who witness such violence. Getting victims of domestic violence the support they need to escape an abusive situation and providing them with the resources they need to put their lives back together is essential to facilitating healthy family relationships.
Raise Domestic Violence Awareness, Help Victims
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and has been for the last 24 years. Helping battered women and children find the support they need to end and overcome the abuse that they’ve suffered is the goal of the National Coalition Against Violence (NCADV).
Domestic violence, also referred to as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), is the willful physical assault, sexual assault, battery, intimidation, and/or other abusive behavior committed by an intimate partner against another. This abusive behavior can last a lifetime and results in psychological trauma, bodily injury, and even death. According to the NCADV, most domestic violence cases are never reported to law enforcement, which is why raising awareness is so important in helping battered individuals find the support they need.
Washington State Considers Law to Require Violators of Restraining Orders to Wear a GPS Tracking Device
KLEWTV.com reports that a bill that is pending in the Washington State Legislature seeks to expand the protection offered to victims of harassment and stalking in orders of protection.
The bill, HB 1180, is supported by the family of a woman who was killed by a man who stalked her outside of the school where she taught. According to the article, the woman had an order of protection against the man, but he had violated it at least once. If the bill passes, a person who violates an order of protection would be required to wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) monitor, which would warn law enforcement officials, as well as the victim, that the offender is violating the order.
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