(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General DeWine today announced several initiatives to help Ohio’s colleges and universities better respond to sexual assaults.
“Sexual assault happens far too often in this country. We know it happens in Ohio, and we know that it happens on college campuses,” said Attorney General DeWine. “Streamlining investigations and prosecutions and improving victim services are crucial to addressing campus sexual assaults.”
DeWine made the initiative announcement at Columbus State Community College, which has been recognized for its efforts to maintain campus safety.
“I share Attorney General DeWine’s commitment to providing a strong infrastructure of swift and effective response to any sexual assault or sexual misconduct on campus, and I thank him for his leadership on this issue. The leaders at Columbus State in law enforcement, student conduct and human resources have aligned our policies and procedures with national best-practices in this area, and we welcome the opportunity to become an early partner in the Attorney General’s collaborative approach to addressing these critical issues,” said Dr. David Harrison, President of Columbus State Community College.
DeWine announced three initiatives the Ohio Attorney General’s Office would be implementing:
- Victim of Crime Grants: Attorney General DeWine announced his office would be dedicating $3 million in competitive grants for campuses to strengthen their sexual assault victim advocacy programs.
- Memorandums of Understanding: The Attorney General’s Office has prepared resources for schools to develop agreements with law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim services providers. These plans clearly define each party’s role when a sexual assault is reported, which is important since, in many cases, law enforcement investigations and campus disciplinary proceedings commence simultaneously.
- Campus Sexual Assault Investigation Training: The Attorney General’s Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy will be offering advanced regional trainings this summer focused on best practices for investigating sexual assaults reported to have occurred on campus. Dates and locations are:
* July 21, Bowling Green State University
* July 23, The Ohio State University
* July 27, Ohio University
* July 30, The University of Akron
* August 5, Miami University
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Documents
OPOTA Course Description (PDF)
Memorandum of Understanding Materials (PDF)
Media Contacts
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Lisa Hackley: 614-466-3840