MEDIUM
By Chicago’s Mayor’s Office
CHICAGO -- With October designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the city of Chicago has launched a first-ever texting campaign to educate youth on domestic violence and how they or people they know may seek help through the city’s Domestic Violence Hotline operated by the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network.
The Domestic Violence Hotline text message campaign launched on October 1 and is currently responding to text messages. Residents are also encouraged to call the hotline, and bilingual Spanish and English-speaking staff are on standby 24/7. All calls and texts are both toll-free and confidential.
The campaign is just the latest in a series of efforts by the administration to prevent domestic violence and to help its victims get the support they need.
Since taking office, Mayor Emanuel has coordinated a number of prevention initiatives, and has ordered more focused training for police officers on how to intervene and prevent abuse. To date, almost 2,000 police officers across the city have completed an advanced training led by a citywide domestic violence prevention task force.