Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Last week was a very busy one here at ODVN! Starting off with our "At the Intersections - Meeting the Needs of Human Trafficking Survivors in Domestic Violence Programs" training. Thank you to all of the program members who were able to make the training a great success!

July 9th is designated as Ohio's Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Day. This year we have created a special event leading up to July 9th, dedicated to raising crucial funds to provide FREE programs and services for brain injury survivors.

Link to donate- https://biaoh.givecloud.co/fundraising/forms/LGD8NLDV

Website- https://www.biaoh.org/new-events-1/2024/7/9/ohios-brain-injury-awareness-day

As we celebrate Independence Day, the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) wishes everyone a safe and joyous holiday. While this day reminds us of the values of freedom and independence, we recognize that for many, especially survivors of domestic violence, true freedom is still a goal yet to be fully attained.

This 4th of July, ODVN reaffirms our commitment to supporting survivors and advocating for change to ensure that every individual can live free from fear and violence.

As June winds down, we would like to take a moment to shine a light on one of our member programs.

The Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO), a division of Equitas Health, is a statewide Ohio program supporting LGBTQIA+ survivors of relationship, sexual, hate & bias, and state & police violence. Founded in 1996 in Columbus, Ohio, by LGBTQIA+ community members to address the lack of culturally humble and responsible services, BRAVO joined Equitas Health in 2018 and collaborates with their harm reduction team.

BRAVO provides culturally humble, affirming, and respectful survivor services, including emotional support, system navigation, education, referrals, and limited material assistance. They offer cultural humility training to service providers to reduce systemic barriers for LGBTQIA+ survivors seeking care, healing, and justice.

This June, BRAVO has been tabling at Prides across the state. On June 20th, they participated in the DOC training panel “Engaging Men and Redefining Masculinity in Antiviolence Work” with OHMAN (Ohio Men’s Action Network). On June 26th, BRAVO will present the workshop “Signaling Belonging: Welcoming LGBTQ+ Survivors through Inclusive Messaging” at the annual OAESV conference.

To all who have celebrated Pride in Ohio this month, Happy Pride from ODVN!

BRAVO Helpline services:
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
Call: 866-862-7286/614-294-7867
Text: 614-333-1907
Chat: bravo-ohio.org
Email: [email protected]

Domestic violence remains one of the leading causes of homelessness. The scarcity of safe and affordable housing, coupled with overcrowded shelters, leaves survivors with the dilemma of either enduring the abuse or sleeping outside. Imposing punitive measures, such as arrests and fines, not only increases the risk of trauma for survivors in the moment, but also undermines their ability to secure safe housing in the future.

BREAKING: NNEDV rejects the Supreme Court's decision, which will allow communities to arrest and fine homeless people (including homeless domestic violence survivors) for sleeping outside.

Housing is extremely limited for survivors, often forcing them to make impossible and unfair decisions between sleeping outside or suffering continued violence. Arresting and fining them for sleeping outside is cruel, plain and simple.

Read our full statement: https://bit.ly/4cfXleu

In partnership with the Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence (ATCEV), ODVN is hosting this virtual training on best practices for intake and exit protocols in domestic violence programs. Participants will learn about the foundations of voluntary services, a requirement from federal funders of grantees, and the practices that align with voluntary service standards. Presenters from ATCEV will facilitate discussions on the challenges that arise around voluntary services, review principles of trauma-informed care, and use scenarios to facilitate hands-on learning experiences. This training will include foundational and advanced topics and is appropriate for new and seasoned domestic violence program staff.

Registration for this training closes 7/4/24
https://ow.ly/zeng50SpY9Z

Last week, ODVN was excited to participate the 2024 Annual Combined Training. Thank you to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for the invitation!

📣🏛️ Fantastic news from the Supreme Court today!

“In a rare 8-1 decision, the Supreme Court decided US v. Rahimi today in favor of restricting access to fi****ms for domestic violence abusers. The Court held that: “An individual found by a court to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of another may be temporarily disarmed consistent with the Second Amendment.” Civil protection orders are a critical piece of safety for many domestic violence survivors around the country. The federal fi****ms restrictions – and state laws modeled after them – that apply to respondents of protection orders save lives.”

Read the full press release from NNEDV: https://nnedv.org/latest_update/domestic-violence-abusers-are-dangerous-fi****ms-prohibitions-upheld-by-supreme-court/

Today’s decision is an important victory for domestic violence victims and survivors. The Supreme Court’s ruling in US v. upholds federal law that prevents domestic abusers from having guns.

Civil protection orders are a critical piece of safety for many domestic violence survivors around the country. The federal fi****ms restrictions – and state laws modeled after them – that apply to respondents of protection orders save lives. Today, those laws and the protection they provide to survivors of domestic violence were upheld as constitutional. We are grateful for this continued, life-saving protection for survivors.

Learn more about the decision from NNEDV and the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence: https://bit.ly/3xtlU8y

ODVN's Rachel Ramirez presents on Brain Injury & IPV at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections.

📰📢 Our June legislative newsletter is live! Click the link below to read ODVN’s advocacy over the last several weeks:

https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/EA/EA016/1/102341/NHL4kI6-WajZH7DK1hteFTR_vO9dHsza-2EnHZCL3GF_archive?cb=MTcxODczOTE1MzIyMQ==

📣Today, ODVN’s policy director, Maria York, testified in support of S.B. 214, survivor-centered legislation that will allow victims of human trafficking more opportunities to expunge eligible offenses related to their victimization.

Click the link below to read our full testimony!
https://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/api/v2/general_assembly_135/committees/cmte_h_criminal_justice_1/meetings/cmte_h_criminal_justice_1_2024-06-18-1200_1353/testimony/12392/uploaded-doc/

Elder abuse occurs in many forms and via many channels. This training examines the various resources available to combat this societal epidemic.
Registration ends June 24th.

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/bw36xfy/lp/d5ea2f9c-e552-4f3b-aa27-4198fca97106

Today, Glenn A. Harris and New Directions, Lindsey Lamp, worked with the Knox County Fatherhood Collaborative & the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood. It was great day of collaboration! New Directions Shelter of Knox County Ohio

The Ohio Senate passed S.B. 237, an anti-SLAPP bill, this week! Since the 1980s, SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) have been used by those with power to silence those trying to impact public policy – including domestic violence survivors telling their own stories of abuse - through costly, lengthy, and often meritless litigation. This law would protect not only the media and advocacy organizations, but survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault who want to share their own stories and push for change.

We are looking forward to supporting S.B. 237 as it moves forward in the House!

🌟 On Tuesday, June 11th, ODVN hosted our 2nd Annual Program Managers Retreat at GENESIS Downtown in Columbus, themed "Building Innovative & Inclusive Spaces for Staff & Survivors." 🌟

We were thrilled to welcome 48 program managers from 33 domestic violence programs! This amazing event was a chance to connect, network, and learn from each other and leaders in the field.

Highlights included:
🔹 Centering survivors’ voices
🔹 Using evaluation to innovate
🔹 Building DEI policies
🔹 Grant writing
🔹 Creating ethical volunteer programming
🔹 Serving survivors with traumatic brain injuries

Program managers play a vital role in supporting direct service staff and driving innovation within domestic violence programs across Ohio.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us! We can’t wait for next year! 💜

As we wrap up our 2024 with the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, we would like to thank the offices of all of our Ohio members of Congress and Sen. Sherrod Brown and Senator JD Vance for taking the time to meet with us, allowing us to drop off materials, and scheduling future meetings to continue our conversations. We were able to connect with all 14 Representatives and Ohio’s 2 Senators about the urgent need to fund sexual assault and domestic violence programs!

What a fantastic kickoff to our !

Emily Gemar, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Tia Payne, Hope and Healing and incoming ODVN board chair, and Ashley Kline, Hope and Healing and OAESV board member met with Congresswoman Emilia Sykes for our 2024 . Thank you, Congresswoman, for taking the time to meet with us and for being a steadfast voice for survivors!

🏛️📣

This morning, Glenn A. Harris, Director of Prevention, testified in front of the Senate Government Oversight Committee in support of a permanent funding solution for OPOTC's continuing police training. A dedicated funding source for Continuing Occupational Programming would ensure that Ohio’s law enforcement officers are consistently trained in topics such as domestic violence. Link below for Glenn's full testimony.

https://www.ohiochannel.org/video/ohio-senate-government-oversight-committee-6-12-2024?start=14:48&end=17:46

📢ADVOCACY ALERT!
Introduced by Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO), H.R. 8061 or the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act directly addresses the devastating Victims of Crime Act cuts. The legislation would direct excess funds collected through the False Claims Act (FCA) into the Crime Victims Fund through Fiscal Year 2029. These funds are also financed by legal fines and fees, not taxpayer dollars, and would ensure that victim assistance programs have the resources to continue serving survivors.

Please call your member of Congress, urging them to be a co-sponsor and requesting that the House Judiciary Committee hear this legislation as soon as possible. Congress must pass without delay!

Click the link below to send an email directly to your member of Congress:
https://secure.everyaction.com/M1ktB_VdfEuY1fPspWJ6gA2

📣📣It's on Capitol Hill! Like and share our posts to join us in amplifying the voices of sexual assault and domestic violence survivors. Congress can’t wait; it’s time to fully fund these programs in Fiscal Year 2025:

➡The Victims of Crime Act ( ) funds 6,000 domestic violence and sexual assault direct services providers, serving six million victims annually through the Crime Victims Fund. VOCA also funds advocacy services at prosecutors' offices, law enforcement, child advocacy centers, and so much more!
➡Violence Against Women Act ( ) funding streams support comprehensive,
specialized services to sexual assault and domestic violence programs.
➡The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act ( ) is the only dedicated federal funding source for domestic violence, helping keep the lights on and the doors open at local programs.
➡The Culturally Specific Public Health Approach for Survivors program will meet survivors' urgent needs.
➡Rape Prevention & Education ( ) is an essential formula grant aimed at creating safer communities.
➡Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault bonus funds provide immediate housing to survivors who are homeless and in danger.
➡U visas and Violence Against Women Act ( ) self-petitions are critical for victims to escape and overcome abuse.
➡$30 million is needed for a demonstration program to support adult survivors of
child sexual abuse and sexual assault. This will enhance service delivery and provide vital technical assistance at the Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services.

As we begin our meetings with members of Congress and our Senators today, we would like to pause and remember the victims and their children who have lost their lives due to domestic violence. From July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, 112 individuals died due to domestic violence, including 22 youth and children.

Remember these losses, strive to understand the issue, and support advances toward long-term solutions to prevent these tragedies.

For more information on our FY23 fatality report, please visithttps://www.odvn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Fatality-Infographic-2023.pdf

Today is with The National Network to End Domestic Violence and National Alliance to End Sexual Violence!

Did you know that the Ohio Domestic Violence Network is Ohio's federally designated domestic violence coalition, representing 76 local domestic violence organizations throughout the state? In calendar year 2023, ODVN programs sheltered 9,707 survivors, including 3,743 children, and provided 98,143 survivors and their children with housing, legal advocacy, and other supportive services.

We’re excited to be in Washington, DC, this week, joining Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, The National Network to End Domestic Violence, and National Alliance to End Sexual Violence for to amplify the voices of sexual assault and domestic violence survivors on Capitol Hill. Stay tuned tomorrow for more information on our asks and ways that you can help amplify our message!

Thank you, Angie King, State Representative, for taking the time to meet with Auglaize County Crisis Center and ODVN to discuss the needs of domestic violence survivors in the community!

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ODVN celebrates Pride everyday! However, we do it a little louder in June!

In the one-year anniversary of her passing, we remember Tina Turner as a fierce survivor and advocate. Through interviews and books, Tina Turner described her marriage as physically, emotionally, financially, and sexually abusive. In 1976, she managed to escape the abuse.

In the following years, Tina courageously spoke about domestic violence, especially in the time when it was not publicly talked about. By being so frank about her experience and by summoning the courage to leave the relationship in the first place, Turner helped change the conversation about domestic violence.

Tina Turner Left Her Abusive Marriage, So They Could Too The honesty and power of the singer’s accounts of abuse in the ’80s resonated with generations of women. Many saw pieces of her story in theirs.

Lisa DeGeeter, Director of Systems Advocacy and Policy Counsel, testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of H.B. 111. The bill increases the sentencing range and creates a presumption in favor of a prison term specifically for third degree domestic violence felony offenses.

Watch our full testimony here: https://www.ohiochannel.org/video/ohio-senate-judiciary-committee-5-22-2024?start=5340