Sorensen Announces Funding for Northern Illinois to Fight Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Crimes
ROCKFORD, IL – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are announcing $750,000 in federal funding for programs to improve responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and child sex abuse in Northern Illinois.
“I’m proud to stand with the Department of Justice to announce critical funding being awarded to local law enforcement to offer additional support to survivors and their families and ensure justice is properly carried out,” said Sorensen. “I will always be an advocate at the federal level to ensure our court systems have the resources they need to better serve our communities.”
Joseph P. Bruscato, Presiding Judge of the Family Division and Domestic Violence Coordinated Court explained, “Through this funding, Children’s Safe Harbor can continue to provide vital services related to supervised visitation and visitation exchange for families impacted by domestic violence. Through agencies like Children’s Safe Harbor, the court is better able to craft orders that meet the needs of individual families in an effort to address safety concerns and adhere to the best interests of the children involved.”
Nicole Ticknor, Deputy Court Administrator stated, “This Domestic Violence Mentor Court designation is a testament to the dedication of our court system to implementing and sharing best practices around safety, accountability, and access to justice. This is the third time Winnebago County’s Domestic Violence Coordinated Court has received this Mentor Court designation from the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women and our community should feel proud of the work and collaboration that occurs on a daily basis to address the needs of the most vulnerable in our community.”
The funding headed to Northern Illinois is coming from two FY2023 Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) programs within the DOJ: The Justice for Families Program and the Domestic Violence Mentor Court Technical Assistance Initiative.
$600,000 awarded under the Justice for Families Program will allow Children’s Safe Harbor to continue safe exchange and supervised visitation services in collaboration with Winnebago County and the 17th Judicial Circuit Court. Funding allows these services to remain free of charge to families experiencing domestic violence whether they are court-ordered or self-referred. Funding also allows for the provision of counseling and wellness services to Children’s Safe Harbor clients and staff.
$150,000 is being awarded under the Domestic Violence Mentor Court Technical Assistance Initiative to establish the Winnebago County Domestic Violence Coordinated Court as a Mentor Court to expand domestic violence resources and information to other, smaller local and regional justice systems. The Winnebago County Domestic Violence Coordinated Court is one of five court systems in the country to receive this designation.
Congressman Eric Sorensen is the first openly LGBTQ person elected to represent Illinois at the federal level and is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.
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