McGuire: Remembering efforts of Family Shelter Service founders during Women's History Month

Some believe the "rule of thumb" once referred to old English law dictating the maximum stick size that could be used to beat one's wife ? no wider than her husband's thumb. What we know for certain is that women were once considered the property of their husbands. Those who found themselves in abusive relationships were often trapped for a lifetime. As we celebrate Women's History Month in March, we honor the achievements of countless women who have helped to make the world a better place. And no one is more worthy of our admiration than the local women who shaped and grew the organization known as Family Shelter Service. Since 1976, people in our community who are escaping violence in their homes have had a place to go, thanks to the persistence of these founders. But their achievements were hard won, and their efforts were not always well received. In 1980, their plan for DuPage County's first domestic violence shelter in Glen Ellyn was met with fierce opposition. To allay residents' fears, the early founders went door to door and arranged coffees in local churches. When the Illinois Domestic Violence Act was passed in 1982, victims were finally able to hold abusers accountable in the criminal and civil justice systems. The act also paved the way for Family Shelter Service advocates to be present in court, guiding and supporting traumatized petitioners. In 1988, Family Shelter Service worked with former State's Attorney Jim Ryan and local law enforcement and judicial leaders to establish the DuPage County Domestic Violence Protocol. One of the few of its kind in the nation, the protocol requires DuPage County police officers to report all domestic violence calls to the Family Shelter Service hotline, so that advocates can follow up with information about programs and services. DuPage County's online Order of Protection system went live in 2007. Under the leadership of former Chief Judge Ann Jorgensen, the Circuit Court Clerk's Office partnered with Family Shelter Service to create a user-friendly, easily accessible Order of Protection application. This online system has since been adopted by seven other Illinois counties. In the midst of the recession in 2007, an aggressive capital campaign resulted in Family Shelter Service's first purpose-built facility in Downers Grove, which now offers 41 emergency shelter beds, as well as counseling and community gathering space in a secure building. The women behind the growth of Family Shelter Service also knew it was important to teach students about healthy relationships before they began dating. Since 2010, Family Shelter Service has incorporated prevention programming into the curriculum of middle and high schools throughout DuPage County. Last year alone, the program reached more than 6,000 area students. Since those early founders started Family Shelter Service in 1976, countless other achievements have helped to make DuPage County's only comprehensive domestic violence agency what it is today. As this commemoration of women's history in March comes to a close, let's all remember and honor the efforts of these women who did so much to make us all safer. Maureen McGuire is media relations and advocacy coordinator for Family Shelter Service, a DuPage County-based domestic violence agency.