| May | 2011 |
|
| The Importance of Civil Protection Orders and How They Help By Aaron Eckhardt, MSW, BRAVO Legal Advocate I know it can be very confusing when trying to navigate the Ohio Civil Justice System, especially when trying to obtain protection from another person. During a scary and potentially dangerous time, the system can seem like a series of closed doors leading to empty hallways. There is a light at the end of those hallways and a system of protection. This article will outline the different kinds of Civil Protection Orders that Ohio offers and when someone can request them. Also, I will discuss some myths regarding the world of Protection Orders and why, if enforced, they do work. Adult Civil Protection Orders in Ohio:
It has been said that protection orders are just paper; and paper can’t stop a bullet or a fist. This may be true; however, the homicide statute or any other law is also just a piece of paper. It is not the law or statute that protects. It is the enforcement of the law. It is highly important to have your Protection Order enforced and report any violation to law enforcement, regardless of how insignificant. Also, keep your own log and documentation of any violations. Civil Protection Orders do, in fact, work. In a subjective study by the National Center for State Courts, 85.5% of petitioners said they felt safer six months after their Protection Order was issued and 95% said they would seek an Order again. Have a safety plan in place! Stay with friends, in a shelter, or other safe environment. Creating a safety plan before the perpetrator is served with the Protection Order is imperative. It can provoke perpetrators to be served with court papers. Trust your gut reactions to potentially dangerous situations! A BRAVO victim advocate can accompany you to court. State law permits you to have a victim advocate with you at all times in court during protection order proceedings. BRAVO may be able to assist you with other civil legal matters tough our Legal Advocacy for Victims program. If you are in need of assistance with safety planning or obtaining a Civil Protection Order, call 866-86-BRAVO today! - Top of Page - Death & Taxes & Hate By Kelli Medaglia, BRAVO Volunteer This month will know, yet again, the ugliness found in social ignorance as a few not-ready-for-Mensa representatives of Westboro Baptist Church plan to picket outside of Hilliard's Darby High School. Per their website, Westboro claims that a “Rebellion 101” course is being advanced by its faculty. The school, incidentally, has denied any such allegations and claims that no such course exists. Greater is the veil under which this “church” protests: their actions are predicated on being the perfect disciple of God (without regard for facts). This is the very organization known for picketing the funerals of service members insofar as conflating America’s meager gay and lesbian tolerance with combat activities throughout the world. The rationale is that our nation — and by extension, the military — is awash in perpetual sin for any such forward-thinking mindsets. Therefore, military members are equally culpable and have met their appropriate fate: death while in their nation’s service. Completing the cycle is for Westboro to picket — displaying hateful signage — at the funerals of killed service members (as said funerals are occurring). Further, their commonly visualized mantra of “God Hates Fags” is ubiquitous relative to whomever or whatever the target of protest may be. In other words, be it a soldier’s funeral or suburban high school, the message is consistent. View Westboro Baptist Church Picket Schedule. Perhaps it can be noted that a new trifecta is upon us: death, taxes, and hate. Naturally, extreme hostility toward another is not new. The crux, these days, is the exponential contamination of our public discourse relative to social differences and their subsequent acceptance (or non-acceptance). Essentially cavalier in its presentation, hate speech is an inexcusable part of our fabric. Moreover, purveyors conveniently hide behind the nation’s First Amendment, prompting one to consider that what is allowed is not necessarily what is right. An ever-so-gray area persists in this regard, no doubt. Hate crimes, accordingly, emanate from ill-informed thought and speech of social abhorrence and are the increasingly prevailing method for illustrating a hateful point of view. When words won’t suffice, a physical beating is a popular next step for many. Sad, too, is that many actors of hateful activity have no focused viewpoint. Simply, they establish a sort of dominance over someone due to physical difference and unfamiliarity. The city of Baltimore was the locale of a recently videotaped beating of a transgender woman, Chrissy Lee Polis, at a McDonald’s restaurant. Though overtly feminine, Ms. Polis was accused (by one attacker) of “(being) a dude who was trying to use the bathroom.” Despite many transgender women presenting a subtle male feature or two, Ms. Polis clearly was identifiable as a female patron with unassuming intentions toward using the women’s restroom. Furthermore, she hadn’t bothered a soul nor conducted herself in any manner that would provoke any remote attention. Also noteworthy, the video of this hateful event — showing Ms. Polis being dragged by her hair after being kicked and punched — was captured by none other than a McDonald’s employee. Adding to this incredible mix is the fact that prosecutors are not yet certain of approaching this as a hate crime. The larger point is that this sort of violence, while puzzling to rational people, is neither completely surprising nor is it going away. Though social and cultural progress have known tangible advances, those resisting any semblance of societal forward change have bestowed louder voices amidst a proliferation of contemptible toxic language. People are less timid with regard to conveying socially-charged unpleasantries pursuant to establishing moral and religious superiority while pointedly working to equate their ‘target’ with all that is deviant, sinful and otherwise too different to comprehend. If one cannot (and will not) understand and learn of another, a natural sense of ‘wrong’ is afoot. “You’re not like me — so there must be something wrong with you” is dirt-old yet thriving at a time when so much diversity is among us. Death and taxes are certainties. Hateful thought, speech and actions of an increasingly melding world are pointless poisons and assuredly here to stay. The best recipe, however, is rooted in the recognition and retention of our individual composition and unique values and perspectives that only enhance an already beautifully seasoned world. - Top of Page - |
In This Issue:
 Of Current Interest Real Drag Queens of Olde Towne East Benefiting BRAVO May 21, 2011 10:00 p.m. A.W.O.L. 49 Parsons Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43215 614 621 8779 Join BRAVO for Pride Events Throughout the State Dayton Pride . June 4 & 5, 2011 Pride-Apalooza . June 4, 2011 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Club Masque 34 North Jefferson Street Dayton, Ohio 45402 937 228 2582 Columbus Pride . June 17 & 18, 2011 Bat-n-Rouge . June 19, 2011 Dodge Park 651 Sullivant Avenue Columbus, Ohio Cleveland Pride . June 25, 2011 Cincinnati Pride . July 8-10, 2011 Ohio Lesbian Festival September 9-11, 2011 The Festival is a not for profit, volunteer driven womyn only event designed to promote womyn's economy, community and art. The Festival recognizes that in the world at large, heterosexism and woman hatred are the norm. The Festival was founded on the premise that Lesbians and queer womyn need opportunities and spaces to recognize and support each other, to define our culture, to find our own strengths and to be empowered. For additional information, please visit the Ohio Lesbian Festival website. - Top of Page - BRAVO Recruiting Volunteers For Helpline The BRAVO helpline is a critical link between victims of crime and the services that they need. This is a specialized volunteer opportunity that requires a significant commitment of time for training in order to enable the volunteer to effectively answer telephones for BRAVO and to prepare the volunteer to give adequate referrals, take reports, and provide telephone crisis intervention to assist BRAVO clients. Much of the helpline volunteer’s time will be spent on routine calls, referrals and reports, but when a client does call in a crisis, it is essential that the volunteer be adequately trained to handle the situation. We also want to assure that every helpline volunteer feels comfortable and confident when interacting with callers. We do collaborative training with the local rape crisis program, Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO). At the completion of the SARNCO training we conclude the helpline volunteer’s training with a module that is specific to BRAVO’s mission, policies, and procedures. In all, both modules entail 40 hours of intensive training. The BRAVO helpline is currently staffed Sunday through Thursday night, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The helpline volunteer works from home and forwards the BRAVO line to their phone. It does require a commitment of time and newfound skills as a BRAVO helpline volunteer. The SARNCO training is scheduled for June 13, 14, 15, and 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The BRAVO module will take place at the BRAVO office upon completion of the SARNCO training. If this volunteer opportunity interests you, please contact Gary Heath, Domestic Violence Program Coordinator, at 614 294 7867 to schedule an interview. - Top of Page - Links:
News and More... LGBTQ Foster Youth Deserve Better change.org LGBTQ youth are more likely than their heterosexual peers to be placed in group homes. An overwhelming majority of the youth in group homes has been a victim of violence and all have been victims of verbal abuse based on their sexual orientation and... Read full article and sign petition. Blake Shelton catches heat for Twitter post suggesting anti-gay violence LGBTQ Nation Blake Shelton, Country Male Vocalist of the Year and a judge on The Voice, came under fire from GLAAD and LGBT advocates and allies on Thursday for a homophobic Twitter post about beating up another man for touching him. The response online came fast ... Read full article. - Top of Page - BRAVO Is a Proud Member Of
 Support. Connect. Succeed Together. BRAVO is a founding member of National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP).  |
 |
PO BOX 82068 · COLUMBUS, OHIO 43202 |