Domestic Violence Amid Virus 'Everyone's Business:' Pritzker

Lisa Marie Farver
Updated ·3 min read

ACROSS ILLINOIS — On Saturday, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said 2,450 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed over the last 24 hours. This brings the statewide total to 58,505 total cases. Since Friday, 105 more deaths from coronavirus were reported, bringing the statewide death toll to 2,559.

Ezike said that at press time 4,717 people were hospitalized with coronavirus. Of these, 1,250 people are intensive care and 789 are on ventilators.

"We know that social distancing works and it has limited the spread of this virus", Ezike said.

Ezike went on to address how to deal with restlessness, especially amid Saturday's warm weather. "We all can suffer anxiety or depression and kids may act out," she said. She recommended the following activities:

  • Bake an item

  • Start a garden

  • Learn a foreign language

  • Play board games or charades

  • Write a book with your kids trying to document these historic times

"Let's think about how we can stay physically active safely while socially distancing wearing masks," Ezike said, encouraging walking as a way to help curb coronavirus shutdown weight gain.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker attributed the growing number of positive cases to an increase in testing, saying,"It really is a function of more testing."

"It turns out we're doing more tests than almost every other state," Pritzker said adding that the coronavirus infection rate, which was formerly around 21 or 22 percent is now "something in the high teens" in proportion to the amount of people tested.

Pritzker also addressed the issue of domestic violence in the face of the ongoing stay-at-home order. He said, "For those experiencing domestic violence, staying at home is often not the safest option."

Pritzker went on to explain that the Department of Human Services has increased its services for domestic violence victims in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

"Domestic violence is everyone's business," Pritzker said, encouraging those who are experiencing or aware of domestic violence to call 877-863-6338 to get help.

Pritzker was joined by Neha Gill of Apna Ghar, an outreach program that works to end gender violence among immigrant communities. Gill echoed Pritzker's words, saying "If someone you care about or know is hurting you emotionally or physically, please call the Illinois Domestic Violence Helpline."

Jamal Cole, founder of My Block, My Hood, My City, a Chicago youth outreach program, also addressed the surge of injustices throughout the coronavirus crisis. Cole said, "It seems this pandemic has shone such a bright light on so many injustices."

He addressed the recent house party that was broken up on Chicago's West Side, encouraging community members to use their ingenuity for good.

Pritzker echoed those sentiments and again shone a spotlight on some community members who are making a difference in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. He said, "Helping each other is how we will get through these difficult times and through to the other side."

This article originally appeared on the Chicago Patch