BY MARIE McCAIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
WOODLAWN - Quoting sexual assault statistics is part of Kendall Fisher's job, but she'd be perfectly willing to go out of business. "Sexual assault, unfortunately, is a very important issue," said Ms. Fisher, associate director of Women Helping Women.
"By the age of 18, one out of four women has been sexually assaulted; and for boys it's one out of seven," she said.
"It happens so frequently that probably everybody knows someone that it's happened to. That's why seminars are so vital to educating the public."
The nonprofit agency - which provides crisis intervention and support to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking - plans a rape awareness and prevention seminar in Woodlawn Nov. 23 in conjunction with the city police department.
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SEMINAR DETAILS
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For more information or to pre-register for the rape awareness and prevention seminar, call Woodlawn Officers Jim Ohl or Linda Johnson at 771-8480.
To get more information about sexual assault or to get help for a sexual assault, domestic violence or stalking victim, call the Women Helping Women PROTECT 24-hour hot line, a joint project with the YWCA, at 872-9259.
Hearing-impaired people can call 977-5545.
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Officers Jim Ohl and Linda Johnson are coordinating the three-hour event for the police department.
"There are so many things that a woman can learn to do to protect herself while she is walking to her car or out alone," Officer Ohl said.
"This is an empowering seminar to teach people how not to be victims of violence."
The seminar will be 6-9 p.m. at Southern Ohio College, 1011 Glendale-Milford Road.
The seminar is free and advance registration is required. Fifty spots are available. If there is an overflow, more classes may be added, officials said.
During the first hour, police and a representative from Women Helping Women will discuss the issues surrounding sexual assault. And in the two remaining hours, participants will learn hands-on self-defense tactics, taught by Woodlawn police Sgt. Roger Haines and Steve Allen. Both are proficient in martial arts.
