New tool guides people on how to obtain a civil protection order if they're a victim of stalking or a sexually oriented offense.

New tool guides people on how to obtain a civil protection order if they're a victim of stalking or a sexually oriented offense.

Victims of stalking and sexually oriented offenses have a new way to find step-by-step guidance for securing a civil protection order. The tool, available from Ohio Legal Help, is an online process that makes accessing and completing the necessary legal forms safer and easier.

When requesting a civil protection order, the person applying is asking a court to order someone to stop certain actions, such as harm, threats, or unwanted contact. A civil protection order for stalking is used for patterns of conduct that lead the victim to believe the offender will cause physical harm or that causes mental distress to the victim. A civil protection order for a sexually oriented offense is for victims of rape, sexual battery, violent acts committed with a sexual motivation, and certain other offenses.

Between 2016 and 2022, the rate of stalking in Ohio increased by 32%, according to a report from the Office of Criminal Justice Services and the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Women account for 81% of stalking victims. The report showed that while intimate partners were victimized in nearly 30% of reported stalking incidents, about a quarter of victims are stalked by an acquaintance or friend and 5% are stalked by strangers. Those stalked by an acquaintance, friend, or stranger can apply for a stalking civil protection order. Research nationally shows that 80% of people are stalked with technology, such as repeated, unwanted phone calls, text messages, and emails.

When visiting the stalking and sexually oriented offense protection order tool at Ohio Legal Help, the person seeking the order goes through a guided interview, answering questions that help fill out the paperwork. The tool explains the different types of civil protection orders, online stalking, and how to gather evidence from your phone. Criminal charges or convictions against the offender aren’t required to request a civil protection order. Once the forms are completed, they need to be taken to a court to file the request. The court evaluates the request and, if the court agrees, it will issue the protection order.

The protection order tool can be accessed on mobile phones, tablets, or computers. It’s available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. While working through the steps in the online tool, a person can stop and save along the way and return later. A large safety button on screen makes it simple to quickly close the website if the person feels in danger.

Experts from around the state – including the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, and Hamilton County Common Pleas Court – assisted in the project development. One of those experts was Jeannine Myers, a magistrate in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. She explained that she sees many people in court struggle with reliable transportation or who have daytime employment, which makes it burdensome to travel to the courthouse when open to collect paperwork and forms.

“I often hear that people had to request time off work, take a vacation day, or even take an unpaid day to come to court,” Myers said. “The online tool can remove these obstacles, allowing someone to fill out a form or learn about protection orders without those financial consequences.”

The tool was developed by Ohio Legal Help in partnership with the Supreme Court of Ohio, which provided funding through a federal Violence Against Women Act grant.

“In 1995, Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer established a Domestic Violence Task Force that recommended standardized forms, ensuring consistent recognition by law enforcement across the state,” said Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy. “Today, the new self-guided-interview form extends this legacy with the goal of continually improving Ohioans’ access to justice. We are deeply grateful to the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Domestic Violence for their invaluable efforts in making these forms more intuitive and user-friendly.”

Susan Choe, executive director of Ohio Legal Help, appreciates the partnership with the Supreme Court.

“People who need legal assistance are always at the forefront of our minds,” Choe said. “Thanks to the support of the Supreme Court, we can provide specific tools for those needing help during a difficult and potentially dangerous time.”

In 2021, Ohio Legal Help developed another tool – for domestic and dating violence civil protection orders – in partnership with the Supreme Court, the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, and the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. More than 50,000 Ohioans use that resource each year.