“Domestic nexus incidents are different from domestic violence in the way they’re categorized, but they also require a different response from the police department, he said. The Chicago Police Department classifies incidents following internal and FBI crime reporting criteria. When it comes to domestic violence, the police department follows the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, which provides special protection under the law for victims of domestic violence. Under that act, domestic violence is defined as abuse, which can take the form of physical abuse, harassment, intimidation and interference with personal liberty…

…’That kind of categorization is more like community violence, but really the emphasis of that is the underlying domestic violence issue, rooted in manipulation, power and control,’ said Carol Gall, executive director of nonprofit Sarah’s Inn which is based in Forest Park.”