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Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office Hosts Sexual Assault Awareness Training for the Third Consecutive Year

This April, the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office is stepping up its efforts to combat sexual assault, coinciding with National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. By taking their awareness and education programs directly to local schools for the first time, the office is strengthening its commitment to empowering students with prevention and self-defense strategies.

This month, over 300 students from John Glenn High School, Mid-East Career and Technology Center, Maysville High School, Zanesville High School and Rosecrans High School participated in sexual assault awareness and self-defense training organized by the Prosecutor's Office.

This initiative began when Sacha Daniels, Office Manager and former Victim Advocate, received a request from her daughter about safety resources to prepare her and her friends for college. What started as a mother's concern has evolved into a county-wide program for young female students in Zanesville and neighboring areas.

The training session featured presenters Kasi Stewart and Bethany Hayes, who provided an in-depth explanation of sexual assault and the concept of consent.

Victim advocates from the Muskingum County Prosecutor's office also attended every training session, providing a supportive presence for anyone who needed it.

Kasi Stewart, the Prosecutor's Office Diversion Coordinator, addressed high school seniors about date rape drugs, discussing the most commonly used substances, their effects, and steps to take if someone suspects they have been drugged or assaulted. She emphasized the importance of recognizing physical and emotional signs, along with safety tips.

The training then presented statistics to the students, revealing that 1 in 5 women in the United States will be a victim of a rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. Alarmingly, over half of reported sexual assault cases involve victims attacked by intimate partners or acquaintances. In Muskingum County alone, 188 sex crimes were investigated in 2023.

Bethany Hayes, Investigator with the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office, underscored the significance of these numbers, stating, "The only confrontation you are guaranteed to survive every time is the one you are never involved in."

Hayes elaborated on personal safety risks, aiming to equip students with strategies to reduce their vulnerability to victimization. A key takeaway for participants was the importance of situational awareness and avoiding risky situations.

Under Hayes' guidance, students learned physical self-defense techniques and how to escape from potential attacks using various methods.

The session concluded with a sexual assault survivor sharing her story, which reinforced the statistics with a powerful message: "It's not your fault, and you didn't do anything wrong."

By providing tools and education on sexual assault awareness, date rape drugs, and physical defense, the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office aims to lower the likelihood of any community member becoming part of that statistic of 1 in 5.

The Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office appreciates the support of John Glenn High School, Mid-East Career and Technology Center, Maysville High School, Zanesville High School and Rosecrans High School. By working with our local schools, we can reach a wider audience and effectively spread our message to more students.

Office Manager, Sacha Daniels emphasizes the importance of their work stating, “I can’t thank our participating schools enough for allowing us time with their students. This education is invaluable and if we help one student not become a statistic it will be worth it.”

As we have seen a steady increase in attendance over the years, we look forward to greater involvement from local schools in future training sessions.

Ron Welch, Muskingum County Prosecutor, praises his team’s dedication. He says, “This level of commitment from everyone in our office in educating young women about sexual assault is exceptional. I am so proud of the efforts made by our prosecutors and support staff in working to make our community a safer place.”

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