Mention crime in Ohio, and most people picture a stranger – a thief, a gunman, someone high. Few picture a spouse. But the Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that domestic violence is the “most prevalent violent crime in Ohio” as the state boosts funding.
State research found that just over half of violent crime arrests from 1974 to 2023 included a domestic violence charge. A total of 157 Ohioans died of domestic violence last year, and danger often comes from people we know.
Funding is a start, but awareness saves lives. Know the red flags – extreme jealousy, controlling money or phones, isolation, threats.
If you see them at home or in a friend’s life, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or contact the Ohio Domestic Violence Network.
If the abuser is a police officer, start with an advocate and a prosecutor outside their department, and plan for retaliation before reporting.
Recovery is possible, and self-care matters.
If you’re helping someone, listen, believe, and don’t pressure.
Steven Hudson
Bowling Green
