During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice recognizes our collective responsibility to disrupt cycles of violence. It is important we honor the survivors of intimate partner violence and those that lost their lives and their loved ones. 

The Pretrial Fairness Act was drafted, passed and implemented in collaboration with anti-gender based violence organizations. Survivors and advocates have seen firsthand how the money bond system failed to keep people safe. Survivors of domestic and sexual violence often find themselves being punished by systems of incarceration. A survey of people incarcerated in Illinois’ women’s prisons found that 90% of them had experienced domestic or sexual violence. This is why it’s increasingly important to invest in lifesaving institutions and not carceral “solutions,” like policing and prisons. Survivors deserve pathways that lead to consistent, reliable support such as housing, childcare, jobs, transportation, and more. 

The Pretrial Fairness Act increases the amount of time courts spend on pretrial release decisions, giving survivors time to fully be informed of their options in the criminal legal system and an opportunity to advocate for their needs. By creating a more comprehensive, fact-based system, survivors can be provided with space to regain what is often lost in instances of domestic violence – autonomy, control, and power over their lives. 

We thank our partners at The Network, the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the plethora of other anti-gender based violence organizations across the state for their work on the Pretrial Fairness Act. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please reach out to the Domestic Violence hotline at 1-877-TO END DV or 1-877-863-6338. To find a service provider in Illinois visit the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s website. 

Learn more about how the Pretrial Fairness Act impacts survivors.