A team of reporters from the nonprofit journalism organizations Invisible Institute and ProPublica reviewed over 300 complaints of sexual assault and misconduct filed over the past decade against Chicago police officers. Experts suggest this number is likely an undercount.
The investigation seeks to understand the full scope and scale of the issue, aiming to talk to individuals who have experienced sexual misconduct or assault by Chicago police. Sexual misconduct is defined for this investigation as sexual assault, inappropriate touching or comments, and sexual harassment by police officers, whether on or off duty. Researchers and advocates describe this misconduct as a “spectrum of behavior.”
This behavior can include, but is not limited to, a Chicago police officer making inappropriate comments or flirting, asking for a phone number for non-case-related reasons, requesting sexual favors in exchange for leniency, or engaging in sexual assault or unwanted physical contact, even when off duty.
Individuals are encouraged to share their experiences through a provided form. The initiative also seeks information from current or retired Chicago police officers.
Those preferring direct communication with a reporter can reach the team by calling or texting 312-488-9552 or by sending a secure message to reporter María Inés Zamudio on Signal at mizamudio.95. The team ensures respect for privacy and will contact individuals if their stories are considered for publication.
The role of the journalists is to report on the issues and they cannot provide legal advice. However, resources are available for those who need support, recognizing the potential for these cases to cause distress.
Andrew Fan, Maheen Khan, Maira Khwaja, and Trina Reynolds-Tyler from Invisible Institute contributed reporting, and Ashley Clarke from ProPublica contributed research.
