The Cook County Sheriff's Office announced a partnership with the 911 Cell Phone Bank on November 8, providing domestic violence and human trafficking survivors with free pre-paid cell phones. Earlier data revealed that 38% of the more than 100 survivors assisted by the Sheriff's Office Victim Support Services Unit (VSS) in 2023 were without a cell phone.
Cyndi Kenzinger, Director of the Victim Support Services Unit and survivor-turned-advocate, explained how abusers use devices like cell phones to retain control over victims, exemplified in instances wherein they disconnect their partner's phones as a punishment for perceived independence.
This pilot program offers survivors access to resources, potentially without their abusers' knowledge. Donated phones come with 60 days of unlimited talk time, with a nominal monthly fee thereafter, meant to counter technology-based abuse such as stalking and harassment, and to facilitate tele-health sessions, court calls and online classes. Other donations from the Sheriff's Office include tablets and laptops for school and educational purposes.
James Mosieur, Director of the 911 Cell Phone Bank, expresses hope for a day when domestic violence is eradicated, “but for now, it's an issue we must tackle," he says. The 911 Cell Phone Bank's mission is to repurpose cell phones into emergency devices for distribution to law enforcement agencies and organizations across the country, ultimately aiding at-risk communities.
