Page 41 - January 2021

23rd Annual Tree of Hope lights the way for
domestic violence survivors in the 14th District
Domestic Violence Liaison Officer Leila Ruiz is working ev- ery day in the 14th District to show victims of domestic violence that they no longer have to be silent.
Attendees at the 23rd Annual Tree of Hope lighting ceremony on Dec. 1 honored survivors and remembered Officer Veronica Rizzo, who passed away in 2014 as the result of a domestic vio- lence incident.
In a typical year, the event sees about 30 attendees. For this unconventional year, Ruiz said they had 18 in-person attendees with six people joining an online livestream.
“What we did this year differently was we did it virtually,” she said. “We had everybody with candles, we did a prayer — a pas- tor did a prayer. So whoever signed on, they were able to watch the whole event with the pastor and us introducing ourselves.”
Ruiz hopes this event shed light on resources regarding do- mestic violence. The virtual element was her favorite part, be- cause it made the Tree of Hope ceremony more accessible than ever before for survivors who are trapped in homes with their abusers.
“It’s a nice event,” Ruiz said. “A lot of times it’s hard to get through with victims, because a lot of people don’t want to leave [their homes], but giving the information that is needed makes them able to leave their homes. It’s the best thing you can do for them.”
This ceremony was the kickoff to a number of domestic vio- lence awareness events in the 14th District this year. Ruiz makes regular trips to the local domestic violence shelter, particularly around the holidays. Following the Tree of Hope ceremony, offi- cers were able to bring gifts to 13 children at the shelter.
Ruiz is planning the district’s annual February spa day for survivors, in which local vendors volunteer their services to provide free haircuts, makeup application and manicures. With the restrictions of COVID-19 still in place, Ruiz is planning to hand-deliver spa kits to domestic violence survivors to hopeful- ly offer a similar experience.
She is looking forward to a year of events that will shed light on the issue of domestic violence and get survivors the resourc- es they need.
“What I cherish the most is that I’m actually able to help these women and give them the proper information that they need
to want to get out of their situations,” Ruiz said. “Giving them that information and packages of what they can do, or even just chatting with them and making them feel like somebody’s ac- tually listening to them, because their family does not want to listen to them, makes me feel great — like I’m actually making an impact on their lives.”
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JANUARY 2021 41