Jacksonville library to host talk on domestic violence impacts

Domestic violence will be the focus at Jacksonville Public Library as the Crisis Center Foundation joins the library for a free adults-only talk, The Effects of Domestic Violence on Well-Being, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 27.

The program is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at the Jacksonville library and is intended to show how abuse can affect mental health, family stability and daily life in Morgan County. The library listing says the session will help attendees understand how domestic violence can affect mental health and will point them toward tools and programs available in times of need. The National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233, is listed with the event.

The Crisis Center Foundation, which serves Morgan, Scott, Cass and Greene counties, says its services are free, confidential and available 24 hours a day. It offers emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, prevention and education services, and its crisis line is (217) 243-4357. The organization says it works to create a violence-free community through a victim-centered response and community collaboration.

Its workload shows the scale of the need. The foundation says it served 1,172 victims, filed 772 orders of protection, provided 10,982 nights of shelter and delivered 29,308 total hours of direct services. State data from Illinois domestic violence agencies show 51,456 survivors served in fiscal year 2024, along with 615,191 direct service hours. Agencies also reported 8,873 shelter turnaways, including 3,922 children, because of a lack of bed space, and reached 291,277 people through public awareness efforts.

At the Jacksonville Public Library, the discussion is being placed in a familiar civic setting rather than behind closed doors. For Jacksonville and the surrounding county, the May 27 talk offers a nearby chance to recognize warning signs, understand the toll abuse can take and learn where help begins.