SAFETY ALERT: Computer use can be monitored and it is impossible to completely clear all website footprints. If you are in danger, please use a safe computer that your abuser can not access directly or remotely, or call:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE or TTY 1-800-787-3224
• National Teen Dating Violence Hotline 1-866-331-9474 or TTY 1-866-331-8453.
• If you are in immediate danger now, call 911.

Domestic Violence Prevention Program

Domestic violence (also called family violence or interpersonal violence) is a pattern of behavior used by one person in a relationship to control the other.  The violence can happen all the time or only once in a while.  Partners may be married or not, heterosexual, gay or lesbian; living together, separated or dating.  It crosses the boundaries of age, socio-economic status, religion, race, ethnicity and nationality.  

Domestic violence is a crime in Ohio and includes physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), and stalking. Although emotional, psychological, spiritual and financial abuses are often difficult to prove in a court of law, they are forms of abuse and are identified as forms of domestic violence.

Public Health Issue

Domestic violence has a direct impact on one’s health.  The high prevalence of domestic violence has an enormous cost to society both in health care and productivity.  The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) prevention efforts encourage local collaboration to create communities where everyone is safe.  ODH’s Domestic Violence Prevention Program serves as a resource for local organizations working to help domestic violence victims and prevent the violence before it begins.

Currently ODH does not have funding available to provide domestic violence prevention service programs.  ODH has worked on the following activities:

• Coordinates an internal (ODH) Domestic Violence Work Group that creates employee awareness.  Projects include:  National Domestic Violence Awareness Week activities, training initiatives for ODH staff and ODH locally funded clinics.  Other work group activities include: Barbara Warner Personal Care Product Drive for Domestic Violence Shelters and Empty Place at the Table™  Lobby Display with ACTION Ohio – Coalition for Battered Women Inc. http://www.wrcnepa.org/community/empty.php
• Convenes the Barbara Warner Domestic Violence Committee that is charged with providing training and resources to the State of Ohio employees.
• Served on the State Domestic Violence and Disabilities Task Force.
• Served on the National Standards Campaign (a national initiative to create public health campaigns against domestic violence). 
• Developed a statewide protocol with the Ohio Domestic Violence Network through the National Standards Campaign (NSC) titled The Ohio Domestic Violence Protocol for Health Care Providers: Standards of Care.  A downloadable copy is available free at Ohio Domestic Violence Network go to the ODVN Resource tab on top of the page.
• Co-edited PRAMS newsletter about domestic violence during pregnancy for health care providers.  Ohio PRAMS Newsletter (2009)

Project Connect

ODH Family Planning Program, SADVPP and the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) are collaborating on a new pilot project addressing at-risk populations in family planning clinics and adolescent health setting about sexual and reproductive coercion.  ODVN received a grant from the Futures without Violence formerly know as the Family Violence Prevention Fund  (http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org) to identify, assess and implement support and referral mechanisms to victims of coercion and violence.     

The Adolescent Health Clinics are soon to be announced.  Four ODH funded family planning agencies have been chosen to participate in this pilot project:

• KnoHoCo-Ashland Community Action Commission
• Wood County Health Department
• Public Health of Dayton-Montgomery County 
• Huron County General Health District.

Adolescent Health Sites Health Focused Partners

• Center for Community Solutions - Cuyahoga County
• NorthEast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services - Cuyahoga County
• Shaw High School Wellness Clinis - Cuyahoga County
• Huckleberry House - Franklin County
• Franklinton Planned Parenthood - Franklin County
• Columbus Public Health - Franklin County
• Austintown Local Schools, School Based Adolescent Health Clinic - Mahoning Cou

Clinic staff at the pilot sites will be trained on improving screening techniques of all clients for sexual and reproductive coercion and on referrals of  identified victims to resources within their community.   Additionally, the pilot project will be strengthening partnerships between the local family planning clinics and the corresponding local domestic violence and sexual violence agencies.

For more information contact the ODH Family Planning Program at 614-466-5332

Domestic Violence in the Workplace

Domestic violence can spill over into the workplace, compromising the safety of both victims and co-workers and resulting in lost productivity, increased health care costs, absenteeism and employee turnover.   ODH encourages business leaders and employers to take additional steps in implementing policies and programs that treat domestic violence as a serious, recognizable and preventable problem like thousands of other workplace health and safety issues.

On Wednesday, April 16, 2008, Governor Ted Strickland signed an Executive Order creating a policy and training for roughly 60,000 state employees of cabinet agencies, boards and commissions on workplace domestic violence. The Governor’s Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach led an initiative to create the Executive Order, policy and training.  Many state agencies were involved, including ODH, Administrative Services, Public Safety and Employee Assistance Program. A diverse representation of non-governmental entities throughout Ohio has also taken an active role in this project.  On January 21, 2011, Governor John R. Kasich signed an executive order to continue the Barbara Warner Domestic Violence Workplace Policy.

Barbara Warner Workplace Domestic Violence Resources

• John R. Kasich, Governor of Ohio Executive Order 2011-04K
• Ted Strickland, Governor State of Ohio Executive Order 2008-08S
• State of Ohio - Barbara Warner Workplace Domestic Violence Policy
• Barbara Warner Committee on Workplace Domestic Violence Year 1 report to Governor Strickland
• Barbara Warner Committee on Workplace Domestic Violence Year 2 report to Governor Kasich
• Help a Victim of Abuse Brochure (Statewide Ohio)
• Domestic Violence Poster (Statewide Ohio)
• Ohio Domestic Violence Shelter Listing - Ohio Domestic Violence Network (www.odvn.org)

National Resource for Employers: U.S. Office on Violence Against Women and Family Violence Prevention Fund

This is a resource for employers to address the impacts of domestic violence in the workplace.  "Workplaces Respond to Domestic and Sexual Violence: A National Resource Center" provides information, resouces, tools and technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to facilitate and encourage safer and more effective responses to employees who are victims of domestic, sexual and dating vioelnce or stalking.  The website can be found at:  http://www.workplacesrespond.org/

Economic Issue

Money is a tool commonly used by the abuser to prevent victims from leaving a dangerous relationship.  Many victims stay because they lack the resources to leave or it has become their responsibility to provide for the family, while at the same time being denied the ability to do so.  Even if victims are employed or are receiving some type of financial assistance, they face many barriers to financial stability that are presented by the abuser.

Economic abuse can take many forms, as follows:

• Denying all access to funds
• Having to account for every penny spent
• Putting all bills in the victim’s name
• Demanding the victim’s paychecks
• Interfering with the victim’s work or not letting them work
• Taking the victim’s car keys or otherwise preventing use of the car

Building financial skills is an important key to overcoming economic abuse. Now more than ever, it is important that domestic violence victims build economic skills to overcome financial instability, the leading barrier to leaving and staying out of an abusive situation.  The following resources are available for assistance for building economic skills.

Financial Education Resources

• Hope and Power for you Personal Finance: Rebuilding Guide Following Domestic Violence - A workbook created by the Nation Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  Download a free copy. http://shop.ncadv.org/inc/sdetail/164
  
• Wise Up Curriculum - An on-line program that promotes financial security by encouraging responsible saving habits.  The curriculum was developed by the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau in support of the Department of Labor's Strengthening the Family Initiative.  http://wiseupwomen.tamu.edu/index.php
  
• Your Money Matters - IRS, US Department of Treasury brochure on tax information for domestic abuse survivors and information about how to request for the IRS Innocence Spouse Relief.  Click here for the brochure: Your Money Matters.

Reviewed September 2011