Victim Services

of East Central Ohio

Who We Are

Family Health Services of East Central Ohio, Inc. has been serving the eastern central Ohio region since 1967.

In 1985, the agency added a rape crisis program to the services provided. Now the agency provides victim services to any victim of crime living in eastern central Ohio.

Services provided by Victim Services of East Central Ohio include: a 24 hour/7 day a week crisis hotline for victims of sexual violence; crisis intervention, information and referral, civil and criminal justice advocacy, support groups for sexual assault victims and parents of child victims of sexual abuse, assistance with Victims of Crime Compensation and VINE registration.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a crime and is struggling, contact us to see how we can help.

This victim services program is funded primarily through the Ohio Attorney General's Office Victims of Crime Act grant funds. Feedback on how well we serve victims in our area is helpful in showing that we are a necessary program. Click here if you'd like to complete a survey on our services.

This virtual rape crisis center is not intended to replace counseling or other support. It is meant to be a helpful resource for those who don’t know what to do, what to think, how to feel or where to turn.

Find a Location

Multiple locations that allow us to serve you better

What is a Victim Advocate

Victim advocates are essentially a guide to the civil/medical/criminal systems that victims and their families find themselves navigating through following a victimization.

Advocates do not hold an official role in any of the civil/criminal justice systems; however they are trained to provide various types of assistance for victims of crime. They understand how the process works and can provide guidance to reduce the stress of an already overwhelming situation for victims and their families. Victim advocates’ responsibilities vary depending on the situation.

Crisis intervention
Emotional support
Information on victimization and referrals to appropriate community resources
Assistance with Crime Victims Compensation application
Assistance with enrollment in the VINE system
Information on legal rights and protections
Information on criminal justice process
Assist victims and their family members submit statements to the court

Intervention with landlords, creditors and employers on behalf of the victim
Information on crime prevention
Assistance with funeral/memorial arrangements
Assistance with safety planning.
Enrollment in the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality program.
Assistance in navigating the medical systems
Accompaniment to forensic exams, interviews, court hearings, meetings/appointments, etc.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a crime and need guidance on what to do or where to turn for help in dealing with the situation, Contact Us.

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Nobody Chooses To Be A Victim

That is a choice that someone else made for them.

You are not responsible for the choices other people make, but you are the one who has to live with the consequences of their choice.

It’s not fair. It’s not right. You will never forget it.

You can move past it. It can become part of your past instead of it defining your present and future.

This is not a quick "Oh, it wasn’t my fault; I’m all better now." Don’t let anyone tell you that you should "be over it."

Some victims say that it was more than two years before they felt like their victimization was no longer consuming their life. Everyone processes grief and trauma in their own way.

Just because you feel like you’ve moved past it in a few weeks or months doesn’t mean that you were less of a victim than someone who struggles with it for longer periods of time.