According to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, there were 112 fatalities associated with 72 domestic violence cases in Ohio from July 1, 2021, to June 30.
In recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I wanted to highlight that throughout this General Assembly, my colleagues and I have taken decisive action to focus on the issue of domestic violence in hopes of ending the turmoil that unfortunately many families face here in our state.
One bill, known as Aisha’s Law, combats domestic violence by expanding domestic protections for victims and giving law enforcement resources to stop abusers.
Additionally, it further penalizes acts of domestic violence while also allowing law enforcement to obtain an emergency protection order on behalf of victims when courts are not open.
As a cosponsor of the bill, I believe passage is important as it will let law enforcement agencies adopt specified tools and training aimed at countering domestic violence. Aisha’s Law has passed the House and currently awaits action in the Senate.
I would also like to highlight House Bill 161, another bipartisan bill passed in the House which requires individuals convicted of domestic violence to be added to the Violent Offender database.
It’s our hope this will flag for residents and law enforcement alike possible individuals that have a history of domestic violence from repeating these heinous acts.
I have personally introduced my own legislation under House Bill 390 that seeks to protect individuals against crimes of human trafficking.
The initiative requires governmental evidence-retention entities to secure and test sexual assault examination kits in relation to an investigation regarding human trafficking – this critical step will help further ensure those who suffer from human trafficking are able to seek proper care and justice.
Outside of those bills and other bills combating domestic violence, we have taken steps to crack down on this crime through allocated funding.
Specifically, within the state budget, we provided millions of dollars to support fighting crime, combating domestic violence and supporting victims through law enforcement training, crime reduction and sexual assault investigation grants.
Some of the funding went toward violence against women, in this case, $17.7 million to support rape crisis programs and another $7.5 million for domestic violence programs.
Moving forward, it’s my goal to ensure that we keep working toward funding initiatives supporting families, women and children regarding domestic violence and other crime-related issues and to finalize the passage of several bills that help combat domestic violence across Ohio and here in Richland County.
If you or someone you know are seeking resources regarding domestic violence, please visit the Ohio Domestic Violence Network website at www.odvn.org, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
