September 21, 2012

NCVLI Joins Partners to Fight for an Ohio Victim’s Right to Proceed by Pseudonym

NCVLI recently joined with a number of national and Ohio-based victim groups to file an amicus curiae brief in the Ohio Supreme Court regarding a sexual assault victim’s right to privacy by use of a pseudonym when pursuing justice through civil litigation against the offender.  At times, the fight to protect victim privacy can seem never ending; fortunately, awareness, as well as the number of advocates fighting the battle, is growing!

At times, the fight to protect victim privacy can seem never ending; fortunately, awareness, as well as the number of advocates fighting the battle, is growing! 

In Ohio, a victim of sexual assault (John Doe) wanted to pursue justice through civil litigation against his offender but wanted to use a pseudonym.  The trial court disallowed the use of a pseudonym, as did the Court of Appeals.  Fortunately, the victim’s attorney was not willing to stop fighting.  NCVLI then joined with a number of other victim groups (i.e., the Justice League of Ohio, the National Center for Victims of Crime, the Ohio Coalition for Battered Women, Ohio Now Education and Legal Fund, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization, Crime Victim Services, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, and Ohio Victim Witness Association) in filing an amicus curiae brief in the Ohio Supreme Court.

We cannot continue to put victims to what is a Hobson’s choice:  privacy or justice.  We can do better! Thank you to our partners in Ohio for notifying of us this case and to the victim’s attorney for fighting so hard for victim privacy.

 

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