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.
Domestic Violence is a 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 healthcare and productivity. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) prevention efforts encourage local collaboration to create communities where everyone is safe. ODH’s Sexual Assault and 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 previously worked on the following activities:
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Coordinated 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.
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Convened the Barbara Warner Domestic Violence Committee that is charged with providing training and resources to the State of Ohio employees.
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Served on the State Domestic Violence and Disabilities Task Force.
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Served on the National Standards Campaign (a national initiative to create public health campaigns against domestic violence).
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Developed and revised a statewide protocol with the Ohio Domestic Violence Network and the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence titled The Ohio Domestic Violence Protocol for Health Care Providers: Standards of Care (2012).
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Co-edited PRAMS newsletter about domestic violence during pregnancy for health care providers.Ohio PRAMS Newsletter (2009)
Use the links below to learn more about Ohio's efforts to prevent domestic violence.
Project Connect - The ODH Family Planning Program, SADVPP and the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) collaborated on a pilot project addressing sexual and reproductive coercion with at-risk populations in family planning clinics and adolescent health settings. As a result, collaboration between shelters and clinics increased and the lessons learned helped in developing Ohio's Human Trafficking protocol for nurses and clinicians.
Barbara Warner Workplace Domestic Violence Resources - Governor Mike DeWine signed the current executive order implementing a policy and training for roughly 60,000 employees of cabinet agencies, boards and commissions on workplace domestic violence on January 31, 2019. This policy originated under former Governor Ted Strickland (2008) and continued under John R. Kasich (2011).
Economic Issues - Money is a tool commonly used by the abuser to prevent victims from leaving a dangerous relationship.