Mason Backs Bill to Examine Domestic Violence Deaths and Increase Prevention Efforts

GURNEE, Ill. – As part of her commitment to helping domestic abuse victims and survivors, state Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, is backing a measure that would create a commission to identify and study contributing factors to crimes of severe domestic violence.

“Domestic abuse isn’t talked about or reported on as frequently as other violent crimes, but in reality, domestic violence is an incredibly pervasive crime that takes place in countless homes across this state every day,” Mason said. “In addition to ensuring that there are adequate state and local resources to help victims escape situations of abuse, we also need to identify the factors that contribute to someone becoming abusive in the first place so that we can figure out ways to stop the violence before it begins.”

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, approximately 10 million individuals suffer from intimate partner violence in the U.S. each year. The coalition also reports that nationwide roughly a quarter of women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence at some point in their lifetimes.

Mason is a sponsor of House Bill 3161, legislation that would create the Illinois Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission. The commission would be tasked with establishing regional review boards that would examine cases of domestic abuse related deaths and near-deaths. Information gathered through the review process would then be used to recommend systemic reforms to reduce domestic violence.

“If we’re serious about preventing domestic abuse, we need to get to work on identifying and addressing the root causes of it,” Mason said. “Establishing the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission would give us a better understanding of the factors that contribute to incidents of domestic abuse and the type of laws we need to enact to put a stop to them.”

​