“The testing of nearly 14,000 formerly shelved Ohio rape kits is complete.
“The unprecedented undertaking already has changed the culture and will have a lasting impact on how police understand and investigate rape, Attorney General Mike DeWine said.
“In 2011, when DeWine first asked departments to start sending untested kits, which dated back decades, it was hotly debated whether the effort to test them was worth it.
“Nearly 300 law enforcement agencies eventually sent a total of 13,931 kits. The results, DeWine said, have shut down any argument as to the value of the undertaking:
“There are many lessons to be learned from this work. Among those lessons, we know that it is never too late to tell a survivor that we believe them and that they did not deserve what happened to them.” – Sondra Miller, President & CEO, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Continue Reading: Completed Testing of 13,931 Rape Kits Signals Progress, Unfinished Business and Investigations Remain
“CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland police failed over three years to send hundreds of rape kits collected from sexual assault victims to a lab for testing, in violation of state law.
“An Ohio law that took effect in 2015 requires rape kits to be sent to a lab within 30 days.
“The department discovered in 2017 that a detective responsible for transporting the evidence to the county-run crime lab had not been submitting all of the kits in a timely manner, creating what the department referred to in emails as a ‘backlog.’
“Cleveland Rape Crisis Center President & CEO Sondra Miller said she’s ‘disheartened’ that the department didn’t follow established protocols to send every sexual assault evidence kit to a crime lab for testing.
“‘Behind each and every kit there is a human being who was harmed in an immeasurable way,’ she said. ‘People deserve better.'”
Continue Reading: Cleveland Police Failed to Send Hundreds of Recent Rape Kits for Testing, in Violation of State Law
“CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) – Ohio ranks fourth in the nation for human trafficking.
“In a recent report from the Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, more than 300 people in the state were victims of sex trafficking, about 25 were trafficked for hard labor, and another eight were trafficked for both purposes.
“‘On the service, it sounds bad, but the reality is, we know that human trafficking is taking place in every community in our country,’ said Teresa Stafford, Senior Director of Victims Services and Outreach at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. ‘Being ranked so high means Ohio is identifying survivors of trafficking.'”
Watch the video and continue reading: Ohio Ranks Fourth in the Country for Human Trafficking Cases
“COLUMBUS, Ohio — Advocates for women say the wave of high profile sexual abuse allegations is helping survivors in Ohio find their voices. But who can they trust?
“In a survey of Cuyahoga County residents, most respondents said if they needed assistance after a sexual assault, they would turn to a doctor, nurse, teacher or caseworker. Sondra Miller, president and CEO of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, said the findings underscore how important it is for people in those roles to know how to respond to a survivor immediately following such a disclosure.
“‘What can I do to let these individuals know I’m a safe person to talk about this?’ Miller said. ‘How can I be trained and how can I have the skills to respond compassionately, and in a way that helps survivors overcome trauma, as opposed to re-traumatizing them?'”
Continue reading: Sexual Assault: Where Do Ohio Survivors Turn for Help?
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is excited to announce that it has been awarded a grant of $3,250,000 through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and a second grant through the Ohio Attorney General’s Office from the State Victim Assistance Act (SVAA) of $12,657.33, for a total of $3,262,657.33. This is the largest grant in Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s history.
The funds will allow Cleveland Rape Crisis Center to impact more than 44,000 people through its counseling, advocacy and outreach services in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties.
“This past year, we were able to expand our services and create stand-alone locations in Westlake and Ashtabula, all with the goal to make sure survivors in all areas can receive compassionate response and access to high-quality services,” said Sondra Miller, President & CEO of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. “Thanks to the funding from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, we will be able to continue to serve survivors of sexual abuse and rape so they can live healthy and productive lives.”
Thanks to funding from the VOCA program in 2016, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center impacted more than 36,729 people throughout Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties with survivor services, prevention program, outreach efforts and trainings. Specifically, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center:
“I am pleased to provide this grant to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center,” said Attorney General DeWine. “I appreciate the work of the Center, which provides comprehensive services and support to survivors of sexual assault, not only in Cuyahoga County, but to those living in neighboring counties as well.”
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About Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
The mission of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. With more than 50 employees and 100 volunteers, the Center reaches more than 36,000 people each year through its counseling, advocacy, prevention and training services in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. For more information, visit clevelandrapecrisis.org or call 216-619-6194. The Center’s 24-hour rape crisis and support hotline is 216-619-6192 (call/text) or clevelandrapecrisis.org/chat.
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is pleased to announce the opening of its new Ashtabula Office, located at 5021 State Road, Ashtabula, OH, 44004 to provide direct services to survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
The Ashtabula Office will offer survivors of rape and sexual abuse with an option to access specialized services including counseling, victim assistance and support groups close to home.
“Survivors of rape and sexual abuse live in every community in Northeast Ohio, and with the opening of the new Ashtabula Office, our goal is to help survivors access our premier services close to home,” said Sondra Miller, President & CEO, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. “We’re proud to now offer counseling for adults and children, victim assistance and support groups in the new location.”
The Ashtabula Office provides convenient access to specialized services for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, including
Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the U.S. have been raped at some time in their lives[1]. Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes, with nearly two-thirds of rapes never reported, and only 12 percent of child sexual abuse reported to authorities[2].
“We welcome survivors of rape and sexual abuse to access our services no matter how long ago they were harmed,” said Miller. “Many of our clients come to us months, years, or even decades later. We want all survivors to know: you are not alone, and you can recover and lead a healthy and happy life.”
To make an appointment or learn more, call (440) 423-2020 or request an appointment online at clevelandrapecrisis.org.
The opening of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s Ashtabula Office has been made possible by funding through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
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About Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
The mission of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promote healing and prevention, and advocate for social change. With more than 50 employees and 100 volunteers, the Center reaches more than 36,000 people each year through its counseling, advocacy, prevention and training services in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties. For more information, visit clevelandrapecrisis.org or call 216-619-6194. The Center’s 24-hour rape crisis and support hotline is 216-619-6192 (call/text) or clevelandrapecrisis.org/chat.
[1] Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S .G., Walters, M. L., Merrick, M. T., … Stevens, M. R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 summary report. Retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/NISVS_Report2010-a.pdf
[2] Hanson, R. F., Resnick, H. S., Saunders, B. E., Kilpatrick, D. G., & Best, C. (1999). Factors related to the reporting of childhood rape. Child Abuse and Neglect, 23, 559–569. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(99)00028-9
Dear friends of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center,
The issue of sexual harassment, sexual abuse and rape continues to dominate the news headlines. Yesterday, survivors from Cleveland Rape Crisis Center joined the national conversation by telling their own stories and showing that sexual violence doesn’t just occur in Hollywood and D.C., unfortunately, it happens in every one of our neighborhoods.
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To watch the clip that aired yesterday on CBS Evening News with a group of local survivors, click here. For the extended version, click here. Thank you to the survivors for your strength and courage to share your stories.
We understand that increased coverage on this topic can be encouraging for some, inspiring them to share their own stories; and draining for others, reminding them constantly of their own trauma. Please know that you are not alone.
We want to remind you that whether you share your story or not, we’re here for you and we believe you. For help or a listening ear, our Crisis and Support Hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week – even on holidays.
Thank you for joining in this important conversation.
Sondra Miller
President & CEO
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Dear friends,
As many of you have seen, over the past few weeks sexual harassment and abuse has risen to the headlines with recent news and campaigns such as #MeToo. As a result, we have experienced an increase in calls, texts and chats from survivors reaching out to start their healing process or people reaching out to get more information for a friend or family member.
While we’re encouraged that so many people are starting their healing process, we also understand that this may be hard for some people to see in their newsfeeds. I will tell you this though – you are not alone.
We are here for you and we believe you.
Please remember that sexual abuse or rape is never the fault of the survivor and it should not have happened to you. No matter if you experienced something last week or decades ago, trauma like this can stir up emotions at any time. If you need support, here are some ways you can reach out:
We hope that these national conversations grow the awareness of this issue and help make change happen. If you ever need immediate support, please reach out to our crisis and support hotline.
Sondra Miller
President & CEO
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
