Cook County and City of Chicago leaders have launched a joint effort to confront the rising crisis of violence against women, forming a Chicago–Cook County Violence Against Women Task Force that officials say is necessary to address troubling statewide trends. The task force was established after the Cook County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution introduced by Commissioner Donna Miller, who worked in partnership with Alderwoman Silvana Tabares on a coordinated city–county structure. Their goal, they said, is to build a unified response to a problem that is escalating across multiple communities and systems.
The push for a coordinated framework comes as domestic violence homicides continue to rise in Illinois even as overall shootings and homicides fall. According to the City of Chicago’s Violence Reduction Dashboard, fatal domestic shootings are up 61.5 percent and domestic homicides have risen 22.6 percent as of September 2025. Cook County State’s Attorney statistics also show more than 451 felony domestic violence charges and over 9,500 misdemeanor domestic charges filed this year. Statewide, the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence reported a 110 percent increase in domestic-related deaths in 2023, underscoring why local leaders say multiple jurisdictions and agencies must work together.
Under Illinois law, domestic violence includes physical abuse, threats, harassment, stalking, coercion or any violent act committed by a current or former spouse, dating partner, co-parent, family member, or household member. The definition also includes violence committed through weapons, arson, or other means when the intended target is an intimate partner, even if children or bystanders are harmed. Officials noted that this expanded definition is often misunderstood, leading some incidents to be seen as broader public violence rather than domestic-related crimes.
Several recent high-profile cases in Illinois illustrate the growing severity of domestic incidents and the urgent need for a comprehensive, data-driven response. In March 2024, prosecutors say Crosetti Brand forced his way into his pregnant ex-girlfriend’s Edgewater apartment and stabbed both her and her 11-year-old son, Jayden Perkins. Jayden died trying to protect his mother, and the attack drew widespread outrage. Brand testified in his own defense during his 2025 trial, but the case exposed gaps in protective-order enforcement and highlighted the heightened danger women face when leaving or attempting to leave abusive relationships.
Another case involved the death of 23-year-old Edith Castrejon in the Portage Park neighborhood. Prosecutors allege that she was shot in 2024 by her boyfriend, Robert Pasco III, who later faced upgraded charges after her baby died a week after the shooting. The case illustrates the link between firearms and increased lethality in domestic incidents, a trend law enforcement officials say is contributing to the rising number of homicides involving partners and children.
A third case shows how domestic violence can endanger entire buildings or blocks. In June 2025, prosecutors charged Lontray Clark with murder and arson after a fire on Chicago’s West Side killed four people, including a pregnant woman and her child. Investigators say Clark set the fire with the intention of harming his ex-girlfriend, making the attack a domestic-related crime despite multiple victims who were not the intended target. Advocates say this case demonstrates how domestic disputes often escalate into larger public-safety threats when early intervention fails.
These incidents have raised significant concerns for Black and Latino women, who continue to experience disproportionate rates of intimate-partner violence. National data show that Black women are killed by domestic partners at more than twice the rate of white women. Chicago’s own 911 call data reflect concentrated domestic-related calls in majority Black neighborhoods including Austin, Englewood, Auburn Gresham, and Roseland. Advocates say that unequal access to mental-health care, housing stability, and legal resources contributes to these disparities and increases the urgency of government action.
Commissioner Miller said the task force is intended to identify these system gaps, improve communication between agencies, and develop unified policy recommendations. The advisory body will include representatives from the Cook County Board, Sheriff’s Office, State’s Attorney’s Office, Public Defender, Public Guardian, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Cook County Health, and several divisions of the Office of the Chief Judge. Its work will begin December 1, 2025, and conclude May 31, 2026, with a final public report delivered to both the Chicago City Council and the Cook County Board by July 1, 2026.
Officials say the report will help inform improvements to enforcement of protective orders, data-sharing between city and county departments, trauma-informed services, and coordination between law enforcement and social-service agencies. By reviewing patterns in recent domestic cases—including missed warning signs, prior calls for service, or prior court involvement—the task force aims to strengthen prevention strategies while ensuring survivors have access to timely and culturally responsive support.
As Chicago and Cook County continue to see rising domestic-related fatalities, leaders say the collaborative work of the new task force may help reshape how local governments respond to a long-standing crisis affecting women and families across the region.