Sexual Violence in the News | |
Bill would require testing of an untold number of rape kits from human trafficking victims in Ohio | Ohio doesn’t have a requirement to test rape kits when investigating human trafficking cases, but a bill in the House would change that. House Bill 390 applies the current law for preserving and cataloging evidence to sexual assault examination (SAE) kits to victims and survivors of trafficking. It was introduced by state Reps. Laura Lanese, a Republican from Grove City, and Marilyn John, a Republican from Richland County. “The goal of this legislation is to stop the trafficking of human victims by going after the perpetrators of these crimes and bringing them to justice,” Representative Lanese said when giving sponsor testimony. | | | |
Bipartisan bill to teach child sex abuse prevention in Ohio schools stalls for fifth time | For the fifth time in 10 years, the bipartisan bill that would combat child sexual abuse is stalling at the Ohio Statehouse. The Democrat and Republican sponsors are determined to push the bill forward, now challenging the beliefs of those who don't want House Bill 105. House Bill 105, known as ‘Erin’s Law,’ would require each school district, community school, and STEM school to provide annual age-appropriate instruction in child sex abuse prevention. It also would incorporate that prevention into its required training for teachers and other professionals. | | | |
'Leaving victims with the bill': Sexual assault survivors are often charged hundreds of dollars for rape kits | The Violence Against Women Act requires states to bear the cost of rape kit exams, but hospitals don’t always know that, or have the right people to work with victims. A nationwide shortage of sexual assault nurse examiners, also known as SANEs, is a key part of why survivors are being left with bills that they should not have to pay, experts tell The 19th. SANEs, nurses who are trained to work with survivors of sexual assault, are usually the most qualified person to administer a rape kit in a hospital — and actually know how to navigate the billing process to keep survivors from getting charged. | | | |
OAESV Position Statements | |
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The 134th General Assembly in Ohio has seen a surge of recent activity as we approach the summer recess months. In the last two months, we have seen an uptick in legislation that poses a substantial risk for increased harm to individuals, families, and communities in Ohio.
Two of our recent position statements address such legislation - House Bill 598 and House Bill 616. As an organization rooted in the principles of anti-oppression, we recognize that our advocacy must be robust and intersectional if we are to effectuate change and end sexual violence in Ohio.
You can access the full statements by clicking on the images below.
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House Bill 266
Regards statutes of limitation for rape and child sexual abuse
Sponsors: Representative Miranda, Representative Galonski
Committee: House Criminal Justice
HB 266 would eliminate the statute of limitations of § 2907.02 Rape, remove the spousal exemption from § 2907.02 Rape, and extend the statute of limitations for civil child sexual abuse claims from 12 years to the date the survivor reaches the age of 55.
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House Bill 121
Eliminate sex crime spousal exceptions; permit spousal testimony
Sponsors: Representative Lanese, Representative Boggs
Committee: House Criminal Justice
HB 121 would remove spousal exemptions from § 2907.02 Rape, § 2907.03 Sexual Battery, § 2907.04 Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Minor, § 2907.05 Gross Sexual Imposition, § 2907.06 Sexual Imposition, and § 2907.07 Importuning.
Click here for OAESV's Fact Sheet.
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HRC 6 & SRC 4
Declare racism a public health crisis
House Sponsors:
Representative Howse,
Representative Crawley
Senate Sponsors:
Senator Craig, Senator Williams
Committees: House State and Local Government Committee, Senate Health Committee
Click here for more information.
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Erin's Law - HB 105
Regards age-appropriate child sexual abuse instruction
Sponsors: Representative Lipps, Representative Kelly
Committee: Senate Primary and Secondary Education
Status: Passed House, Referred to Senate Primary & Secondary Education Committee
Current law does not mandate education addressing the pervasive problems of sexual abuse and sexual violence. Erin's Law would require sexual abuse prevention education in grades K-6, add sexual violence prevention education in grades 7-12, and require additional training for school personnel. Ohio is a regional outlier, as Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York have all passed Erin's Law. Erin's Law curriculum first appeared in public schools in 2009, and Ohio's legislation meets our individual state's needs for district expertise in crafting compliant lessons.
Our Erin's Law library can be accessed here.
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HB 199
Remove the cap on damages for noneconomic loss when a victim of rape or assault brings a tort action
Sponsors: Representative Boggs, Representative Russo
Committee: House Civil Justice Committee
This bill would remove limitations on the amount of compensatory damages for noneconomic loss in tort actions brought by a victim of rape, felonious assault, aggravated assault, assault, or negligent assault.
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HB 319 and SB 183
Enact Expanding Human Trafficking Justice Act
Senate Sponsors: Senators Fedor and Kunze
House Sponsors: Representatives Galonski and Richardson
Committee: House Criminal Justice Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee
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This bill would allow victims of human trafficking to expunge certain criminal records related to their human trafficking victimization.
Our factsheet for these bills can be accessed here.
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HB 256
Allow Certain Crime Victims to Terminate Rental Agreements
Sponsors: Representative Sobecki, Representative Lepore-Hagan
Committee: House Civil Justice Committee
This bill aims to enhance protections for tenant-survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence by allowing survivors the option to terminate rental agreements and prohibiting a variety of retaliatory actions from landlords against tenant-survivors, among other protections.
For more information on the link between sexual violence and housing, check out this resource from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
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HB 480
Authorize private right of action for abortion or aiding abortion
Sponsors: Representative Powell, Representative Hall
Committee: House Families, Aging, & Human Services Committee
Ohio House Bill 480 was introduced on November 2, 2021. If passed, it would ban all abortions in Ohio — going further than the Texas anti-abortion law that was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on November 1st. OAESV is concerned because, just like Texas’s Senate Bill 8, the Ohio bill has no exceptions for rape or incest. Survivors deserve to have control over what happens to their bodies in the aftermath of rape or incest.
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HB 390
Require sex assault exam kits for trafficking in persons cases
Sponsors: Representative Lanese, Representative John
Committee: Senate Judiciary Committee (Passed House)
Ohio House Bill 390 would add trafficking in persons cases (ORC 2905.32) to the list of crimes that are required to be tested and submitted to a governmental evidence-retention entity for DNA analysis of the contents of the kit, if a DNA analysis has not previously been performed on the kit.
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Join OAESV for our monthly legislative First Friday Webinar on Friday, June 3rd, 2022. Stay updated on a wide range of legislative topics, review the testimony process, and discuss plans for summer legislative engagement with your local representatives.
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OAESV's Legislative Newsletter is funded by a generous grant from the George Gund Foundation, a private Ohio non-profit organization that has donated $722 million dollars since 1952 to projects that advance human welfare and society. | | | | | |
