Advocates of domestic violence victims are raising awareness about a way law enforcement and the courts can help keep guns away from abusers who pose a serious threat to their partners.
Federal law prohibits people under domestic violence civil protection orders from owning, carrying or possessing firearms through the duration of the protection order.
Ohio judges are not required to prohibit firearms as part of a civil protection order, but even when they choose to, too often the guns aren't surrendered to law enforcement, said Alexandria Ruden, supervising attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.
To encourage surrender, law enforcement may complete a 10-F form that indicates where the guns are to be secured. These forms are then entered into the court docket, and if a perpetrator later accesses the weapons, or fails to turn them in, the court is able document the violation.
Ruden said that alone can make things safer for at-risk women.
"Strangulation and firearms are the most lethal factors for femicide," she said. "We know that with with firearms, it's not even if (the abuser) has it, it's (does the abuser) have access to these firearms."
The 10-F form was introduced by the Ohio Supreme Court in 2021, as an additional measure to ensure safety in civil protection order cases in which a victim has indicated there are guns in the home, or the perpetrator is in possession of a firearm, the court has ordered them to surrender.
Since then, Ruden has held several trainings with police officers, prosecutors and advocates on how to use the form, but she said many don’t know about it.
She's hoping to raise awareness. Though, Ruden said it would be better if the state passed laws to make the process standard.
"We need policies in place for surrender of firearms, storage of firearms, and return of firearms (following the issuance of protection orders)," she said.
Ruden said she is working on organizing a training for Northeast Ohio law enforcement in March.
If you, or someone you know, is in an unhealthy or abusive relationship, you are not alone. People may call or text 216-391-4357 (HELP) or live chat journeyneo.org for support.
