During the month of April, the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS), recognizes both Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Child abuse includes all types of maltreatment and neglect that occur among children under the age of 18. According to the National Child Abuse & Neglect Data System (NCANDS), the most common forms of maltreatment are neglect (78.5%), physical abuse (17.6%), and sexual abuse (9.1%). Child fatalities are the most tragic consequence of maltreatment. For FFY 2011, the overall rate of child fatalities was 2.10 deaths per 100,000 children.
“The lifelong effects these crimes have on victims and their families can be devastating,” said OCJS Executive Director Karhlton Moore. “Because of this, we will continue raising public awareness by educating and offering resources so that together we can end the
violence.”
The National Crime Victimization Survey reports sexual assault as encompassing victimizations that include attacks or attempted attacks generally involving forced, unwanted sexual contact or conduct from the offender to the victim. Sexual violence may or may not involve force and includes such things as grabbing or fondling; verbal threats are also included. According to the Ohio Incident Based-Reporting System, law enforcement agencies reported 7,971 sexual assaults in 2011.
The Family Violence Prevention Center (FVPC) at OCJS was established to provide support services to address these serious issues. The Center serves as an information clearinghouse for public and private organizations and individuals throughout Ohio that strive to prevent family violence and provide assistance to victims. Its goal is to provide leadership for coordinated state and local efforts to reduce and prevent family violence in Ohio.
For more information about the Center as well as these important campaigns, visit www.ocjs.ohio.gov/family_violence.stm
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