Victims of violent crime such as rape, assault, murder, kidnapping, and domestic violence, face many challenges as a result of their tragic and unexpected circumstances. The Attorney General’s Crime Victim Section offers services to aid victims, trainings for professionals who work with victims, and crime prevention programs for Ohio communities.
What we do:
Ohio law provides a fund to help victims of violent crime recover financial losses. Through the fund, victims can be compensated for medical and counseling expenses, wage loss, replacement services, and funeral expenses. Victims may apply for up to $50,000 in reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs.
The Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) program reimburses medical facilities for the cost of forensic exams of victims of sexual violence. This ensures that a victim will never have to pay for his or her own examination, and that any evidence to be used in an eventual prosecution is collected properly.
In partnership with Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association (BSSA), the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC), the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS), and Appriss Inc., the Crime Victim Services Section participates in the Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) system. VINE allows victims of crime to check offender’s custody status and get automatic notifications whenever there is a change in the offender’s status.
The Crime Victim Section is committed to strengthening Ohio’s capacity to assist older victims of crime by training law enforcement professionals on assisting victims of elder abuse, raising awareness, and boosting research on elder abuse. In 2009, the Attorney General established an Elder Abuse Commission to identify older Ohioans’ needs, find funding, and establish programming.
The Crime Victim Section administers federal and state grants to local crime victim assistance programs. Rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, guardian ad litem programs, and victim advocates in prosecutors' offices are among 230 agencies supported that serve more than 345,000 Ohioans each year.
The Crime Victim Section provides workshops, training and other education programming to communities, law enforcement agencies, and victim advocates groups. Victim services training for accreditations, and updates on changes in the law, policies, and other advancements are also provided annually at the Attorney General's Two Days in May Conference on Victim Assistance.