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A safety plan is a plan of action designed to help keep you and your children as safe as possible when there is violence.

To be safe, plan ahead. A detailed safety plan is important to have in place before there is a violent situation and includes the following:

1. Know The Partnership Advocacy Center of Pike County's 24-hour hotline (740-947-1611) that offers problem-solving, information & referral, phone counseling and emergency shelter.
2. Try not to let the batterer trap you in the kitchen (too many potential weapons) or the bathroom (no space to dodge blows and too many hard surfaces to be pushed or knocked against).
3. Stay out of a room or area where there are known weapons such as guns. Do not attempt to threaten him with a weapon–it can easily be turned against you.
4. Think through all possible escape routes–not only doors, but first floor or basement windows you might go through. If you feel an attack may be about to begin, make your exit before it starts. Try not to leave without your children.
5. Think through now, before the attack, just where you will go. Will it be a safe place? If you have no safe friends or family, consider The Partnership. At the very least, go to a public place such as McDonald’s, the library, a hospital lobby or a shopping center. If he should follow you, go to the closest police or fire station–know where they are.
6. Now, before the abusive incident, get an extra car key made and hide it in or on the car. You can purchase a magnetic key holder. Then, should you be able to leave the house during an attack, you will have the means to drive to safety. Hiding a little extra money in the glove compartment is a good idea.
7. Pack an extra set of clothes for yourself and children. Include diapers, toilet articles, and a bit of spare change. Store these with a neighbor, a friend or at a church if you are not planning to leave immediately.
8. Gather important documents you might need such as birth certificates and social security numbers, marriage license, medical insurance information, family and friends’ phone numbers, children’s school records, and other information that might be necessary.
9. If you are able to escape the violent episode, he might not let you have access to the papers later, so try to take them with you. If possible, have important documents photocopied and keep copies in a safe place, perhaps with the extra clothes you stored.
10. Treat financial records in the same way as important documents. Try to take your rent, mortgage, and utility receipts; checking and savings account information; paycheck stubs, credit cards; account numbers; and significant canceled checks. Keep an extra blank check with your extra clothes.

Sexual Assault is a crime of violence, power and control. It happens when a person is forced, threatened or coerced into sexual contact against her or his will. It includes unwanted touching, kissing and rape. Anyone may be a victim of rape: women, men or children, straight or gay. Sexual assault is not the victim’s fault. No one deserves or asks to be raped or assaulted. What a person wears, how much they drink or how they act does not mean they want to participate in sexual activity. It is also not the victim’s fault if they are unable to consent because of alcohol, drugs or disability.

• Every 73 seconds another American is sexually assaulted.
• One in 6 women and 1 in 33 men are victims of sexual violence within their lifetimes.
• 8 out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim.
• 34% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12, and 66% of victims of sexual assault and rape are age 12-17.
• 3 out of 4 sexual assaults go unreported.
• Out of every 1,000 sexual assaults, 995 perpetrators will go free.

• Ignoring you when you say “no” to sex
• Pressuring you to perform sexual acts that make you feel uncomfortable or humiliated
• Telling you it’s your “duty” to have sex
• Forcing you to look at pornography
• Demanding sex when you’re sick or physically unable to participate
• Hitting or choking during sex
• Expecting sex after an argument/fight

If you are a sexual assault survivor, you are not alone! Help is available.

Call our confidential 24-hour hotline at 740-947-1611.

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors to exert power and control over another individual in the context of an intimate partnership.

Facts About Domestic Violence 

Most domestic violence incidents are never reported.

More than 1 in 3 women (35.6%) and more than 1 in 4 men (28.5%) in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Women ages 18 to 24 generally experienced the highest rates of intimate partner violence.

Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women – more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.

On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year.

Every year, 1 in 3 women who is a victim of homicide is murdered by her current or former partner.

Indicators of Domestic Violence in a Relationship

Domestic violence doesn’t look the same in every relationship because every relationship is different. But one thing most abusive relationships have in common is that the abusive partner does many different kinds of things to have more power and control over their partners. If you’re beginning to feel as if your partner or a loved one’s partner is becoming abusive, there are a few behaviors that you can look out for. Watch out for these red flags and if you’re experiencing one or more of them in your relationship, call the hotline (740-947-1611) to talk about what’s going on.

Red Flags

Telling you that you can never do anything right

Showing jealousy of your friends and time spent away

Keeping you or discouraging you from seeing friends or family members

Embarrassing or shaming you with put-downs

Controlling every penny spent in the household

Taking your money or refusing to give you money for expenses

Looking at you or acting in ways that scare you

Controlling who you see, where you go, or what you do

Preventing you from making your own decisions

Telling you that you are a bad parent or threatening to harm or take away your children

Preventing you from working or attending school

Destroying your property or threatening to hurt or kill your pets

Intimidating you with guns, knives or other weapons

Pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you’re not comfortable with

Pressuring you to use drugs or alcohol

If even one of these indicators applies to you, you may be in an abusive relationship. 

For support and information, please call our 24-hour hotline at 740-947-1611.

Steward of Children

The Stewards of Children Program will increase knowledge, improve attitudes, and change child-protective behaviors concerning child sexual abuse.  This program is for any responsible adult who cares about the welfare of children; educators, coaches, Sunday school teachers, babysitters, any youth-serving organization. 

Safe Dates

Safe Dates is a curriculum to address attitudes and behaviors associated with teen dating abuse and violence.  Healthy boundaries are explored and how to recognize unhealthy behaviors in the early stages of the relationship. 

Best Life Human Trafficking Curriculum for At-Risk Girls

This eight-session curriculum is geared towards at-risk teenage girls. The Best Life Human Trafficking Prevention Curriculum for Girls will teach them how to lower their risk for human trafficking and other forms of exploitation and abuse. They will learn how to stay safe and have fun learning at the same time.

 Point Person for the Pike County Coalition to End Human Trafficking

PCCEHT is dedicated to assisting survivors of human trafficking and education the community to prevent and reduce human trafficking in our community. PCCEHT is partnered with community agencies to provide advocacy and resources to survivors of human trafficking. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, or you have questions about human trafficking, call (740) 947-1611 24/7. Option 2 after hours

An alleged survivor must be fearful of the alleged abuser to apply for a protection order, and there should also be a pattern of abuser. Alleged survivors and alleged abusers must be at least 18 years of age to qualify for our agency's assistance.

1. Domestic Violence Temporary Protection Order (DVTPO)

If a criminal case is filed, you may request a temporary protection order through the prosecutor. A DVTPO can order the abuser to stay away from your residence or workplace. It can order the abuser to refrain from calling, harassing, or threatening you directly or through another person. A DVTPO is only effective while the case is pending in court.  When the criminal case ends, so does the DVTPO. If you believe you may still be in danger, you may file a Domestic Violence Civil Protective Order.

2.  Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO)

A family or household member may petition the Court of Common Pleas, if the survivor is a resident of Pike County for a DVCPO. A survivor may file their own DVCPO or seek assistance through an attorney, Southeastern Ohio Legal Services or the Partnership.  Once the petition is filed, the Court may grant a DVCPO ex-parte,(this is temporary).  A full hearing will be scheduled within ten court days after filing the petition.  At the hearing, the alleged survivor must explain to the judge why a DVCPO is necessary. The alleged abuser will be present at this hearing, and people who may have witnessed the abuse can testify. An A=attorney is highly encouraged for this process.

The Partnership does not employ attorneys. At times, we may be able to locate an attorney to assist with your case, however there is no guarantee that an attorney may be provided. 

3.  Violation of a Protection Order

If the abuser violates the DVTPO/DVCPO the survivor should contact law enforcement immediately. Violating a protection order is a criminal offense and the abuser may be arrested and charged with a new criminal offense each time the protection order is violated. Only a court can make changes to the protection order once it has been granted. 

The Partnership cannot assist with protection order modifications or dismissals.