COLUMBUS – April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Ohioans are encouraged to become allies for survivors.
Nearly one in five women in the U-S have experienced rape in their lifetime, as well as one in 71 men.
Calls to many rape crisis centers decreased during the pandemic but are now on the rise, Gina Patterson, clinical director at OneEighty in northwest Ohio, said.
Lydia Strauss, outreach coordinator and survivor advocate for the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline, says sexual violence occurs in every community throughout the state.
“Survivors come from many different backgrounds, many different situations. Many different races, religions; no age is discriminated against. No one is free from sexual violence happening in their community,” she said.
The Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline is 1-844-OHIO-HELP. Other resources are available online.