City of Chicago Mayor's Office- Gender Based Violence Response
What is Gender-Based Violence?
Gender-based violence (GBV) disproportionately impacts women of color, indigenous women, transgender individuals and LGBQIA+ individuals, immigrants, and people with disabilities. It is a human rights violation and a public health crisis. GBV is a form of discrimination and recognized as a manifestation of unequal power. GBV is bias-based harm caused by one’s bias against another person’s gender identity. Harmful acts can include:
Physical violence
Emotional abuse
Sexual violence
Sexual harassment
Discrimination based on gender
Sexual exploitation
Human trafficking
Workplace violence
Economic/ financial abuse
Coercive manipulation
Harms related to immigration
Stalking and harassment, including via electronic communications
Reproductive coercion
Discrimination and/or targeted violence based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity
Institutional violence
Partner Highlights
Thanks to the advocacy of our reproductive justice partners including Sarah Garza Resnick, CEO of Personal PAC and Jennifer Welch, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, an amendment to the Noise Sensitive Zone was passed at the May City Council meeting. The Johnson administration remains supportive of its passage, which continues Chicago’s legacy as a sanctuary for safe healthcare and reproductive justice for all. This victory continues our mission that all Chicagoans have access to medical care without threat of harm, intimidation, or interruption.
Amanda Pyron, Executive Director of The Network officially launched the Intersection: Domestic Violence and Community Violence Project. The project seeks to address the intersections of DV and CV by reducing DV shootings and homicides through partnerships between GBV organizations and violence prevention organizations. A huge congratulations to our partners the Network and Apna Ghar who are also supporting this initiative!
The Invisible Institute and City Bureau celebrated two Pulitzer awards for their piece “Missing in Chicago”, which covered Missing Black Women in Chicago. Trina Reynolds-Tyler and Sarah Conway won for local reporting, while Invisible Institute won for audio reporting. The winners, collaborators, and supporters celebrated with a reception at the Experimental Station. The Johnson administration, including Chief of Policy Umi Grigsby, Deputy Director of Policy Mara Henegan, Director of GBV and Health Noureen Hashim-Jiwani, and Policy Analyst of GBV Madeleine Pattis joined the celebration.
Continuing the groundbreaking work of the People’s Vision for Mental and Behavioral Health, Mayor Johnson spoke on mental health expansion and community safety in the Q2 People’s Plan for Community Safety citywide community meeting. He was joined by Director of GBV and Health Policy Noureen Hashim-Jiwani, Senior Policy Advisor in the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety Allie Lichterman, First Deputy of Human Servies in the Mayor’s Office of Education Youth and Human Services Mariana Osario, and Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Garien Gatewood.
Mayor Johnson attended the Raise the Floor Alliance to highlight the new Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance, which is set to go into effect Monday, July 1. We are grateful to partners like Women Employed and Chicago Federation of Labor who advocated for the legislation and joined the panel discussion this month.
This month was the 2nd anniversary of the Dobbs decision, ending the constitutional right to abortion in the United States. Mayor Johnson made a statement on the anniversary, noting the historic impact of the decision and his determination to protect reproductive rights. As stated by Mayor Johnson: “We must also continue to advocate for policies that protect reproductive rights, support comprehensive sex education, and ensure affordable and accessible healthcare for all. Together, we can resist attempts to roll back the progress we have made, ensuring Chicago remains a sanctuary for reproductive justice and care.”
GBV Task Force
The GBV Task Force
Codified in the Municipal Code of Chicago, the GBV Task Force purpose is to build a whole-of-government approach to address the pervasiveness of genderbased
violence and human trafficking. The task force shall advise the Mayor on how to:
- increase capacity and expertise within City departments to address
gender-based violence and human trafficking; - enhance coordination of prevention and intervention efforts among City
departments and with key outside organizations focused on preventing gender-based
violence and human trafficking; - improve law enforcement response to gender-based violence;
- shift cultural norms on what constitutes gender-based violence and
human trafficking and its acceptability; - collect, analyze, and use data and research to enhance gender-based
violence and human trafficking intervention efforts; - create alternate responses to gender-based violence and human
trafficking outside of the criminal justice system; and - reform policies that perpetuate or create opportunities for gender-based
violence and human trafficking.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Any member of the general public may address orally, in person, or in writing; provided that oral public comment at meetings of the City Council shall be subject to the time limits set forth below. Any person who orally addresses the Taskforce shall:
- Email madeleine.pattis@cityofchicago.org a minimum of 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting and include their name, organization or affiliation, ward, and phone number.
- limit their remarks to three minutes, and if the person intends to address more than one item, use that time, at the Chair’s direction, to address one, or several, such items;
- limit their remarks to the subject matter appearing on the agenda of the meeting;
- refrain from profane language, obscene conduct, or disruptive comments;
- comply with the order of the Chair of the meeting.
Any person who submits written comments shall do so a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting.
The Chair of the meeting has authority and discretion to:
- curtail or limit public comment if the commenter fails to comply with this Rule, and
- allow reasonable variances from the three-minute time limit in appropriate, non-discriminatory, circumstances.
Public comment shall be limited to a total of 30 minutes.
Meeting Agendas + Notes (Most Recent to Oldest)
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May 22, 12:30 - 2:00 pm
Location: City Hall, 121 N LaSalle St, Rm. 1103
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April 22, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Location: City Hall, 121 N LaSalle St, Rm. 1103
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March 13, 2024, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Location: City Hall, 121 N LaSalle St, Rm. 1103
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February 14, 2024, 12:30 - 1:30 pm
Location: Chicago Cultural Center
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December 14, 2023, 12:30 - 1:30 pm
Location: City Hall, 121 N LaSalle St, Rm. 1103
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October 19, 2023, 12:00 - 1:30 pm
Location: City Hall, 121 N LaSalle St, Rm. 1103
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August 17, 2023, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Location: City Hall, 121 N LaSalle St, Rm. 1103
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June 16, 2023, 1:00-2:30 pm
Location: City Hall, 121 N LaSalle St, Rm. 1103
Community Image Gallery
![Card Image](/content/dam/city/sites/public-safety-and-violenc-reduction/images/Apna-Ghar-Volunteering.png)
![Card Image](/content/dam/city/sites/public-safety-and-violenc-reduction/images/DVhotline.jpg)
![Selfie of four women smiling](/content/dam/city/sites/public-safety-and-violenc-reduction/images/MicrosoftTeams-image.png)
![Three women in pink vests celebrating city council decision](/content/dam/city/sites/public-safety-and-violenc-reduction/images/2024-06-12-City-Council_VJ35586.jpg)
![Discussion at Trafficking event](/content/dam/city/sites/public-safety-and-violenc-reduction/images/Trafficking-Event.jpg)
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