How suburban lawmakers’ bill aims to ease reporting for sex abuse survivors

Only about one in three instances of sexual violence are reported to law enforcement, and the majority of them fail to lead to a prosecution and conviction, survivor advocates say.

Hoping to help change those stats, a group of suburban lawmakers pushed legislation through the Illinois General Assembly this week aimed at making reporting sex assault to police easier and more comfortable for survivors.

House Bill 4394 requires law enforcement officers to inform survivors of sexual assault or abuse that they may request to be interviewed by an officer of a particular sex or gender. It also allows survivors to have a support person with them when meeting with police or prosecutors.

The bill passed the state Senate unanimously Tuesday, having already passed the House by a 105-0 vote, and now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk. A spokesperson for the governor’s office told us Thursday that Pritzker will review all legislation once it has been received from the General Assembly, but will closely monitor the potential fiscal impact of bills.

The measure’s chief House sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Daniel Didech of Buffalo Grove, said the measure is a recognition that reporting sexual violence comes at “an extraordinarily difficult and vulnerable moment.”

“When survivors feel supported, interviews are more effective and cases are stronger, helping hold offenders accountable,” he added.

State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, a Grayslake Democrat and the bill’s chief sponsor in the Senate, said the measure gives survivors some control “in a moment where so much has already been taken from them.”

We asked Sandy T. Williams, CEO of the Gurnee-based Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center, about the measure. She noted the criminal justice system can be daunting for an average person under ideal circumstances, but potentially re-traumatizing for a survivor of sexual violence.

“It’s important for there to be an opportunity to exert autonomy, to describe for them what safety looks like in that moment, and gender can be a part of that,” Williams said.

“Even if they say nothing, having a support person visibly there can provide a calming presence,” she added.

Ruck it up

Mount Prospect police officers who served in the armed forces will lead an “Embrace the Ruck” march on Saturday to honor fallen soldiers — and hopefully raise some money in their memory.

A ruck is the heavy pack often carried by service members on duty. The officers — and any other marchers who wish to — will carry a ruck on the 6.2-mile walk as a tribute.

Check-in for the march is 8 a.m. Saturday at Mount Prospect village hall, 50 S. Emerson St. The walk begins at 9 a.m., and hot dogs and other lunch items are available afterward.

There’s no cost to participate, but the Tunnels to Towers foundation, which supports military veterans and first responders, will be on hand accepting donations.

For more information and to register, visit vfw1337.com.

Congratulations due

The Batavia Police Department proudly announced this week that Sgt. Michelle Langston graduated from the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University.

During the session, her peers selected her as the class’s vice president.

She completed 27 required instruction blocks, including leadership, human resources, organizational behavior, applied statistics, planning and policy development and budgeting and resource allocations.

Langston has worked for Batavia for almost 18 years.

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