ALTON, Ill. – To show his support for victims of domestic violence, State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, is encouraging members of the community to report any suspicions of domestic violence and offer their support to known victims.
“We have a responsibility to the men, women, and children who have been in abusive relationships to protect them when they are willing to report the crime,” Beiser said. “These relationships are not easy to leave, which is why we have to provide them with the love and support for when they are finally willing to report it.”
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This year, Beiser sponsored several pieces of legislation, all now law, that are aimed to help victims of domestic violence. House Bill 1121, Senate Bill 1645, and Senate Bill 1547 give survivors more power in their court proceedings, the support to move out of their situation, and eliminate any penalization for reporting the crime multiple times.
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline an average of 24 people per minute are abused by an intimate partner, and nearly half of all women and men will be abused.
“As a legislator, I can help craft laws that empower victims, appropriately punish abusers and help raise awareness of domestic violence,” Beiser added. “I will continue my advocacy on this issue and on behalf of those who are trapped in dangerous relationships.”
To report a case of domestic violence, please visit http://www.thehotline.org/ or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
