Ohio Northern University

During Domestic Violence Awareness month, Ohio advocates say domestic violence causes individual and systemic civil rights issues for survivors across the state

By Steph West

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Ohio Northern University Civil Rights Law Journal Q&A is a regular feature that explores the intersection of civil rights with other areas of law with the experts who work in those fields every day. Have a suggestion? Submit them to the Editor-In-Chief at onucivilrightslawjournal@gmail.com.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and several communities throughout the United States, including Ohio, are hosting events to shed light on an issue that has historically affected individuals in a disproportionate way across gender, race, and other protected classes.

In an effort to explore how it intersects with civil rights law, the ONU Civil Rights Law Journal (CRLJ) reached out to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, a 501(c)(3), and tapped their Policy and Prevention Coordinator Hawa Sow, an Ohio State University graduate, for details on the issue of domestic violence, how it impacts civil rights, and how readers can help.

Read Sow’s in-depth Q&A below:

1. Please tell our readers how your organization defines domestic violence and how it approaches the issue, generally, in Ohio.

Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviors that may include intimidation, isolation, emotional abuse, economic abuse, coercive control, and often physical or sexual violence used against a partner, family member, or household member.

The Ohio Domestic Violence Network works to strengthen Ohio’s response to domestic violence through survivor support, professional training, public education, technical assistance, and public policy advocacy. ODVN brings together domestic violence programs, allied professionals, and community members from every region of Ohio, representing both rural and urban communities. Many of our member programs have decades of experience serving survivors. We also collaborate closely with statewide agencies, local programs, and partner organizations to improve prevention efforts, increase access to services, and promote lasting social change.

2. Help our readers understand how domestic violence intersects with civil rights law.

Domestic violence often raises significant civil rights concerns because it can deprive victims of fundamental rights and opportunities, including personal safety, housing, employment, education, economic security, and full participation in public life. Perpetrators frequently use violence, intimidation, coercive control, and financial abuse to restrict a victim’s autonomy and ability to exercise these rights.

But the harm doesn’t only come from the abuser; the systems meant to protect survivors can compound it. Survivors can lose housing because of violence committed against them, through evictions or nuisance policies that penalize calls for help, despite protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Fair Housing Act. These barriers fall hardest on women, communities of color, LGBTQ+ survivors, immigrants, and survivors with disabilities. Ensuring every survivor can access safety, housing, employment, and justice without discrimination is fundamentally a civil rights goal. (for more info, check out this website on how Ohio ranks in supporting survivors’ financial security.)

3. How does systemic oppression of civil rights at the intersection of domestic violence play out for a survivor?

Systemic oppression shows up when the systems survivors rely on to get safe, like housing, employment, healthcare, education, and the legal system, create barriers instead of protection. Those barriers fall hardest on survivors who already face discrimination, including Black, Indigenous, and immigrant survivors, LGBTQ+ survivors, and survivors with disabilities. Housing is a clear example.

Housing is also one of the clearest places where domestic violence and civil rights law meet. The Fair Housing Act, part of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, disability, and other protected classes. Because most survivors are women, policies that penalize a tenant for the violence committed against her, like evicting her after an abuser’s assault or punishing calls to police under nuisance ordinances, can amount to sex discrimination. VAWA adds further protections in federally assisted housing, barring landlords from denying or evicting someone because they are a survivor.

Safe, stable housing is often the foundation for economic security, physical safety, and meaningful participation in community life. Yet survivors trying to escape abuse frequently face legal and financial obstacles: penalties for breaking a lease, damaged credit from economic abuse, or eviction records tied to the violence committed against them. Without legal protections, a survivor may be forced to choose between staying in danger and risking homelessness. Ohio still lacks a state law allowing survivors to terminate a lease early for safety reasons. HB 855, which ODVN supports, would address this gap, and we expect it to be reintroduced in the next General Assembly.

4. There are four main areas where gender and race, as civil rights issues, intersect with domestic violence: the justice system, housing, healthcare, and childcare/custody. Please explain how they play out practically in everyday life for survivors.

Justice System: Survivors, particularly women of color, often weigh whether calling police will make them safer or expose them and their families to harm. Even when the justice system is involved, domestic violence can go unrecognized: some intimate partner killings are first classified as suicides, overdoses, or accidents. After conviction, delayed or missed victim notifications about an offender’s transfer, parole, or release can undermine carefully built safety plans. (See our 2022 report titled Seeking Safety, Equity, and Justice for some additional stats).

Housing: Survivors who flee often face lease penalties, lost deposits, evictions initiated by an abuser, or rejection for new housing because of credit damage caused by the abuse. Women of color, who already face higher eviction rates, carry a compounded burden. And the safety net is stretched thin: in 2025, Ohio’s domestic violence programs turned away more than half of survivors seeking shelter.

Healthcare: In a December 2025 ODVN survey of 46 advocates, 95% reported medical staff asking survivors how they were injured while the abuser was present. Ohio has no statewide protocol for hospitals when abuse is suspected, so responses vary widely. The stakes are especially high for women: homicide is a leading cause of death during pregnancy and postpartum, with Black women at greater risk. ODVN supports HB 566, the Break the Silence Act, to create statewide protocols.

Child Care and Custody: Abusers often use custody disputes and parenting exchanges to continue control. Without affordable childcare, survivors struggle to keep jobs and leave, and mothers who raise abuse in court can find their concerns dismissed. Mothers of color, disproportionately investigated by child protective services, may fear disclosure could cost them their children. ODVN supports SB 174, which requires courts to weigh domestic violence history and safety in custody decisions.

5. How do immigrants face special challenges at the intersection of domestic violence and civil rights?

Immigrant survivors face added barriers that abusers can exploit. An abuser may threaten deportation, separation from children, loss of immigration status, or to hide a survivor’s documents. Language access is a constant gap: survivors may go without a professional interpreter when calling 911, seeking medical care, or appearing in court, and are sometimes left relying on their children or even the abuser to translate. Beyond language, survivors need culturally responsive support, including outreach to their communities and shelters equipped for different cultural, religious, and dietary needs. Many also fear that contacting law enforcement could expose them or family members to immigration consequences, even though protections like U visas exist for victims of certain crimes. Strong language access, culturally responsive programs, and community outreach help ensure survivors can seek safety without fear.

6. How does the ODVN propose making the systems more accessible to women, so they are not violated twice, first by the perpetrator and then by the system?

We have seen how those in positions of authority can abuse power. Recent cases involving the misuse of law enforcement databases and surveillance tools highlight the reality that systems intended to protect people can also be weaponized against them. Our focus at ODVN is to ensure that the systems survivors rely on cannot be abused and that safeguards are built in from the start.

Making systems more accessible to women requires both accountability and survivor-centered reform. First, there must be strong oversight, transparency, and consequences for misuse of power. Second, survivors need meaningful access to advocates who can help them navigate complex systems, identify when something is going wrong, amplify their voices, and ensure their experiences inform efforts to improve those systems. Ultimately, the goal is not simply to help women access existing systems, but to build systems that are trustworthy, equitable, and resistant to abuse so that survivors are not victimized a second time when they seek help.

7. ODVN is taking a holistic approach to domestic violence — can you tell us what this means and how that plays out across the state both in policy and grassroots levels?

A holistic approach to domestic violence means recognizing that it cannot be addressed through crisis services alone. While direct support for survivors is essential, lasting change also requires addressing the broader systems, policies, and social conditions that contribute to abuse and affect survivors’ ability to achieve safety and stability. ODVN works to reduce harm at every level, from individual services and community response to statewide policy and systems reform.

At the policy level, ODVN supports legislation and initiatives that advance the principle that all people have the right to live free from violence and oppression. We advocate for changes that strengthen economic security, housing stability, healthcare access, legal protections, and other systems that impact survivors’ lives. At the same time, we oppose policies that create additional barriers to safety or further marginalize survivors. We also work collaboratively with state agencies, community organizations, and local stakeholders to improve systems and strengthen coordinated responses. For example, ODVN is currently partnering with the Ohio Department of Health and organizations across the state to develop policies, procedures, and technical assistance for domestic violence fatality review teams. These reviews help communities identify gaps in systems and services and inform strategies to prevent future domestic violence deaths.

At the direct service level, ODVN provides programs that help survivors achieve immediate safety and long-term stability. Through our Relocation and Safety Assistance Program, survivors can access financial assistance to overcome safety-related barriers, such as relocating to escape an abusive partner, securing housing, or addressing other urgent needs that jeopardize their safety. ODVN also operates REACH Rapid Rehousing, which helps survivors and their families obtain and maintain stable housing after fleeing abuse, recognizing that access to safe, affordable housing is often one of the greatest challenges survivors face.

8. ODVN has testified and helped pass legislation that serves women and survivors — can you tell us a little about those efforts?

ODVN’s Policy Team works to ensure the voices of survivors are heard in the legislative process. During the 135th General Assembly (2023-2024), we monitored 75 bills affecting survivors and their families, delivered 21 legislative testimonies, conducted extensive public education efforts, and brought more than 200 advocates to the Statehouse for two Advocacy Days, where they met with 105 legislators. (Click here for the wrap up report.)

In the 136th General Assembly (2025-2026) we are currently monitoring 243 pending bills!

These efforts helped advance several important policy changes. For example, Ohio enacted a law prohibiting the use of tracking devices and apps without a person’s consent, addressing a growing form of technology-facilitated abuse. We also supported legislation increasing penalties for repeat domestic violence offenders, closing Ohio’s spousal rape loophole, improving protections for victims of human trafficking, and passing an anti-SLAPP law that helps protect survivors and advocacy organizations from meritless lawsuits intended to silence them.

In addition to supporting successful legislation, ODVN has continued to advocate for policies that have not yet passed but remain critical for survivor safety. These include stronger housing protections that would allow survivors to terminate leases without penalty, family court reforms that better protect children and survivor parents, firearm safety measures related to domestic violence offenders, and improved responses to strangulation and healthcare-based domestic violence screening. Our website is currently being entirely redone, but we will have a strong policy site on there soon.

9. Ohio’s financial support of domestic violence programs lags behind surrounding states — can you explain what that looks like and how Ohio can improve?

While state leaders have made important investments in recent years, Ohio still funds domestic violence services at a lower per-capita rate than every surrounding state. Ohio increased its per capita funding from 32 cents in FY 2022 to about 84-85 cents in recent years, which was a significant step forward. However, neighboring states continue to invest substantially more. For example, Kentucky spends $3.02 per capita, Michigan spends $2.96, Pennsylvania spends $1.72, West Virginia spends $1.42, and Indiana spends $1.31, compared to Ohio’s 84 cents per capita.

The impact of this funding gap is visible across the state. Four domestic violence programs have closed in the last four years. As resources shrink, survivors are encountering increasing barriers to safety. In 2025, ODVN member programs provided shelter to nearly 9,500 survivors and more than 4,300 children, yet they were forced to turn away 9,677 survivors because shelters were full or lacked sufficient staffing. This means that more than half of all survivors seeking emergency shelter that year could not be accommodated.

At the same time, demand for services continues to rise. Requests for emergency shelter increased from approximately 14,500 in 2023 to more than 19,000 in 2025, while the percentage of survivors turned away grew from 38% to 51%. We are also seeing increasingly deadly consequences. In state fiscal year 2025, Ohio recorded 157 intimate partner violence-related deaths, the highest number in a decade, and current data suggest that fatalities remain alarmingly high.

Ohio can improve by making sustained investments in the domestic violence service infrastructure that survivors depend on. This funding would help stabilize the state’s 76 domestic violence programs, preserve shelter capacity, maintain critical staffing, and ensure that survivors and their children can access safety when they need it most.

10. States across the U.S. are experiencing similar issues right now in serving survivors — can you tell us a little about that and what the biggest issues are?

States across the country are facing many of the same challenges in serving survivors of domestic violence and other violent crimes, particularly because of instability in federal victim services funding. A major concern is the decline and fluctuation of the Federal Crime Victims Fund, which supports victim assistance programs, shelters, advocacy services, and compensation for survivors. The Fund’s balance has varied significantly over the past decade, rising to a record high of $13.1 billion in FY2017 before falling to just $1.0 billion in FY2023. Although the balance has rebounded to approximately $3.7 billion in FY2026, it remains well below its historic peak. These fluctuations create significant funding uncertainty for organizations that rely on Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants to provide critical services, making it more difficult to maintain staffing, shelter capacity, and other essential support for survivors.

As a result, many states are struggling with staff shortages, longer waitlists, reduced shelter capacity, and challenges meeting the growing and increasingly complex needs of survivors. At the same time, survivors continue to face barriers in accessing safe housing, legal assistance, healthcare, childcare, and culturally responsive services. The funding instability means programs are often forced to turn survivors away and spend valuable time seeking replacement funding rather than focusing on direct services, making it more difficult to ensure survivors can access the support they need when they need it most.

What You Can Do

Contribute to ODVN’s LifeSaver Fund. The fund provides flexible emergency assistance to survivors facing immediate barriers to safety, helping cover needs such as emergency housing, transportation, utility payments, changing locks, replacing essential items, and other urgent expenses that are often not covered by traditional funding sources. For many survivors, escaping abuse is not simply a matter of deciding to leave. Financial insecurity is one of the most significant barriers to safety.

About

Hawa Sow serves as the Policy and Prevention Coordinator for the Ohio Domestic Violence Network. As a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy, she began her work with ODVN as a Policy Intern before joining the organization full-time. Beyond her policy work, Hawa is a Cincinnati-based community organizer committed to youth empowerment and global justice. Through faith-based initiatives, coalition building, and community education, she works to engage and equip young people to become leaders and advocates for positive change in their communities.

The Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) is a statewide 501(c)(3) membership organization that brings together domestic violence programs, allied professionals, survivors, and community members from across Ohio to strengthen services and advocate for survivors. Guided by a volunteer Board of Directors representing diverse geographic regions and communities, ODVN emphasizes collaborative leadership, shared decision-making, and partnerships with domestic violence programs and allied organizations throughout the state. ODVN’s purpose is to support and strengthen Ohio’s response to domestic violence through direct survivor support, training, public awareness, and technical assistance and to promote social change through the implementation of public policy.

Suggested Citation

West, Steph, Q&A: Ohio Domestic Violence Network (Oct. 23, 2026). Ohio Northern University Civil Rights Law Journal. Available at https://onucrjournal.com/2026/10/23/qa-the-ohio-domestic-violence-network/.