On the Job 

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office will present the 31st annual Two Days in May Conference on Victim Assistance on May 8-9 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

At its core, the conference is an opportunity for crime victim advocates to learn from experts, share best practices and celebrate successes. More broadly, Two Days in May is about continuing to redefine what justice for crime victims should look like, and about empowering survivors to rebuild their lives.

“There was a time in our nation’s history, no so long ago, when crime victims and the aftereffects they suffered were largely overlooked by our judicial system,” Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Who could they turn to for support and guidance? Who was there to ensure their rights? The rise of victim advocacy helped balance the equation.”
The 35 conference workshops will cover wide-ranging topics, including trauma response and services, financial exploitation, elder abuse, credentialing for advocates, K9 therapy, male survivors of sexual violence, ethics in advocacy, victims with mental illness, Marsy’s Law, and tips for wellness and self-care.

Conference participants also will have the opportunity to have questions answered about VOCA/SVAA grants and the Ohio Crime Victims Compensation Program during drop-in sessions with staff members from the Attorney General’s Office.

In addition to AG Yost, featured speakers will include Ruth Bowdish and Tony Porter.

Bowdish, an author, life coach and chemical-dependency counselor, will discuss “The Science of Happiness: A Look at Positive Psychology in the Service of Others.”

Porter, CEO of the national nonprofit A Call to Men, will talk about “Promoting Healthy Manhood and Gender Equity.” He is the author of “Breaking Out of the Man Box” and the visionary for the book “NFL Dads: Dedicated to Daughters.”