Oliver: Annual Candlelight Vigil to shed light on domestic violence in McHenry County

A very important event is taking place Thursday evening.

Turning Point Domestic Violence Services will host its annual Candlelight Vigil to honor those lost to domestic violence at 6 p.m. at the Woodstock Square Gazebo.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and longtime readers of this column know that I have lost friends to domestic violence. This is something that is close to my heart.

I know I’m not alone in this because statistics show that 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. That means most of us will be affected or know someone who has been.

“The impact of intimate partner violence on a person, and the community surrounding them, can be devastating. Sometimes, even deadly,” reads the invitation on the Turning Point website. “Join Turning Point as we remember those lost to domestic violence and recognize the work that still needs to be done in McHenry County and beyond.”

The program will include speakers, survivor stories, live music, informational tables, a community art project and a moment of silence.

Domestic violence isn’t something that happens in other places. Sadly, it happens everywhere, and in Illinois, the number of deaths resulting from domestic violence has increased dramatically, according to the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, of which Turning Point is a member organization.

The coalition’s annual Domestic Violence Homicide Report for 2023 found that 120 people had died in 94 separate incidents, an increase of 121% over 2022.

Out of the 102 counties in this state, 27 of them were found to have reported deaths in connection with a domestic violence incident, an increase from the 20 counties reported in 2022. Among those 27 counties were McHenry and Lake.

The victims of domestic violence in 2023 in Illinois ranged in age from under 1 year to 86 years. Most were women (67 of the 120, or 56%).

The report notes that the relationships between victims and the perpetrators varied greatly. About half were current or former intimate partner relationships, with 42% of victims being a current or former partner of a male. Forty-two percent of males killed by males were those of immediate family and not a current or former intimate partner. Also of note is that there were no incidents of a female killing an immediate family member during the period the coalition reported on.

Firearms were used in 68% of those deaths; 13 deaths were individuals who killed and then turned the guns on themselves. In 2022, 48% of the deaths were gun-related.

“A homicide is the most devastating and tragic end to a domestic violence situation, causing harm not only to the victims themselves, but threatening the safety and security of entire communities,” Sarah Conlon, interim president and CEO of the coalition, said in news release that accompanied the report. “Domestic violence homicides are preventable. Through education and awareness, we can come together to be the voice of change here in Illinois, ensuring a strong safety net is in place for survivors and their children when they seek help.”

In McHenry County, that strong safety net continues to be Turning Point.

Even when the result of domestic violence is not death, it can have a profound impact on those affected, as well as the community. For instance, in 2023, Turning Point here in McHenry County served 124 different shelter clients. Its services were used by 1,577 adult and child survivors.

There were 2,250 crisis and referral calls, and 608 people used its help with orders of protection or legal advocacy.

Turning Point offers services, from counseling to emergency shelter, from outreach to prevention services.

If you or someone you know needs help, please know that Turning Point offers a 24-hour helpline at 815-338-8081.

To learn more about Turning Point and how you can get involved, visit turnpt.org.

• Joan Oliver is the former Northwest Herald assistant news editor. She has been associated with the Northwest Herald since 1990. She can be reached at jolivercolumn@gmail.com.