Cook County Board to hold hearing on systemic failures in addressing domestic violence
Thousands of domestic violence cases and orders of protection get filed in Cook County every year.
CBS News Chicago has been investigating the systemic failures that have left survivors at risk. On Tuesday, the Cook County Board of Commissioners will hold a hearing on what needs to be fixed.
Commissioner Donna Miller (D-6th) is heading the hearings.
"I've heard from so many women just in the community about the dangers of the lack of protection with orders of protection," Miller said. "I've seen it, unfortunately, too many times on a personal level."
Miller said she helped a family member suffering domestic abuse get help. She said she found firsthand how hard the system can be, from getting a protection order to holding an abuser accountable — as well as services for recovery.
At the hearing on Tuesday, numerous survivors will share their stories of what they went through. Among them will be Sarah Brown.
"This is a challenging system, and there's been children that has died, that has been abused, that has been estranged from their parents because of the system being just a mess," Brown said.
The hearing is open to the public, and will be held on the fifth floor of the County Building —located at 118 N. Clark St. and part of the same complex as City Hall, at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
