Rockford: Illinois Domestic Violence Deaths Drop 26% in 2025, But 5 Still Died in Winnebago County

The numbers fell. The work continues.

For the first time in ten years, deaths tied to domestic violence in Illinois dropped significantly. The Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence released its 2025 Homicide Report on Wednesday, showing a 26% decline in fatalities between 2024 and 2025.

The state saw 137 domestic violence deaths in 2024. That number fell to 101 fatalities in 2025, spread across 72 incidents. Those incidents included 83 homicides and 18 perpetrator suicides, according to the report.

But in Winnebago County, the data tells a harder story. Five people died related to domestic violence in the county last year.

"One is too many," said Andrea Carlson, deputy director of the Rockford Mayor's Office of Domestic and Community Violence Prevention. "We look at the spectrum of early prevention and intervention work, but also, again, future homicides."

A statewide shift

Carrie Boyd, CEO and president of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, called the decline a positive trend after decades of work. The coalition represents more than 50 agencies and nonprofits across all 102 Illinois counties.

"Domestic violence is a crime, and it is a choice," Boyd said. "This work has been ongoing for decades."

Boyd credited increased visibility and public awareness for helping drive the drop. She noted that more people are reaching out when they need help.

That outreach is visible in the numbers. The Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline received 69,748 contacts in 2025. That is a 17% increase compared to 2024, according to the report.

"It is a double-edged sword," Boyd said. "We have more visibility online, and so people can find resources online, but that also means that abusers have more of a platform to abuse online as well."

The coalition is still investigating the specific reasons behind the 2025 decline.

Rockford's prevention push

While the state celebrates progress, Rockford officials are investing in early intervention. The city approved $353,503 in June to fund the Community Healing Center, a program based at the Irving Avenue Strong Neighborhoods House.

The center provides trauma-informed services for Rockford youth who have witnessed or experienced violence. According to Jennifer Cacciapaglia, director of the Mayor's Office of Domestic and Community Violence Prevention, as much as 70% of juveniles charged with a crime in Rockford had witnessed or been victims of domestic, sexual, or community violence.

"We are trying to really create an ecosystem around our kids that exposes them to options that do not involve violence," Cacciapaglia told the Rockford Register Star. "It provides the support they need to stay in school and also connects them to community and mentors so that they know without question that there are people in their lives and people in this community who love and care about them."

The funding comes from unspent American Rescue Plan Act money. City Council approved the spending on June 15. The program will support three employees and run from October 2026 through September 2027.

Eighty-one youth are currently enrolled in the program, working with partners including Rockford Barbell, Comprehensive Community Solutions, CITIED Foundation, and Youth Services Network.

Training to spot the signs early

Carlson said the Rockford area's approach to domestic violence includes training staff at local organizations to recognize early warning signs. Programs include outreach with Rockford Public Schools counselors, Camp HOPE with the YMCA of Rock River Valley, and partnerships with the Boys and Girls Club and the Rockford Park District.

"We know that domestic violence does not start when you turn 18," Carlson said. "If we can intervene early on, when we see red flags for dangerous relationships, we could possibly curb future violence."

She noted that children who witness intimate partner violence are more likely to experience or repeat that violence themselves.

"You do not have to go through this alone," Carlson said. "There is help."

Those seeking support can call the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at 877-863-6338. The line operates 24 hours a day. Additional resources are available through the Family Peace Center website.

The human cost remains

Even as the numbers improve, domestic violence remains a daily reality in Rockford. On June 16, police responded to a domestic battery call on Searles Avenue. Officers found a woman with injuries to her face and neck. She told investigators her partner, Christopher Barnes Jr., 30, had strangled and punched her during an argument.

Barnes, who was already on probation for a 2024 aggravated battery conviction, told officers his own hand injuries came from getting into "a fight with a tree" the day before, according to court documents.

Prosecutors filed a petition to revoke his probation. Barnes is scheduled to appear in court on July 15.

"We are training their staff to understand the root causes and also be better equipped to identify these early indicators," Carlson said. "We know that kids who are exposed to or witness intimate partner violence, their odds are likely to repeat or experience it themselves."

The statewide drop in deaths offers hope. In Rockford, the focus is on making sure the trend continues.