PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Court to host Domestic Violence Conference for south and southwestern Cook County
Released On 10/10/2003
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans joined Fifth Municipal District Presiding Judge Anthony S. Montelione and Sixth Municipal District Presiding Judge Ronald C. Riley to announce the hosting of the Fourth Annual Domestic Violence Conference on Wednesday, October 15, 2003, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, 18501 South Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park, Illinois. The free conference is offered to agencies and individuals in south and southwestern suburban Cook County who work with victims of family violence, as well as the public.
"The conference is designed to continue the court’s development of a coordinated community response to the dreadful scourge of family violence. We are seeking to build partnerships between the many layers of service providers and the public, in which knowledge and ideas can be shared to determine the most effective means of reducing the incidence of family violence and providing appropriate assistance to its victims," said Chief Judge Evans.
Terry G. Lilley, an activist and educator with training expertise in preventing teen dating violence, sexual assault and harassment, and racism, is the conference keynote speaker. Currently based in Wilmington, Delaware, Mr. Lilley previously worked as Prevention Educator for The Women’s Center, Inc., a not for profit sexual assault and domestic violence agency with locations in downstate Illinois. Mr. Lilley authored the Center’s award-winning fifteen-week anti-violence curriculum for secondary students.
The theme of the Fourth Annual Domestic Violence Conference is Culture of Violence: Many Voices, Many Choices. Mr. Lilley will speak on "The Making of a Generation: Where is the Love?" Among other topics to be covered in conference workshops are the following:
Raising a Grownup: A Guide for Teens and their Adults
Hip-Hop Activists: A Positive Outlet for Youth
Law Enforcement and Domestic Violence
Alcohol and Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence
Interactional Issues Involving Mental Health and Domestic Violence
The conference also will feature a performance by the youth theater group, Kuumba Lynx. Comprised of performing artists from Chicago, the group will present original interdisciplinary art works that focus on the young performers’ experiences with violence.
Chief Judge Evans said, "I commend Judge Montelione and Judge Riley and the Domestic Violence Coordinating Councils of their respective Districts for assembling this thought provoking and informative conference. Participants are sure to come away with new perspectives that will assist them in developing policies and programs to prevent domestic violence."
Advance registration is required. Interested persons may call Jean Pazan at 708.974.6288 or Susana G. Dominguez at 708.210.4046. Continuing education credits through the Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professional Board are available.
