BATAVIA, Ohio — Silence.

It’s just before 9 p.m., and it’s all you can hear just in front of the Clermont County Common Pleas Courthouse on Main Street in Batavia on Sunday night, amid a dozen of solitary flickers of the candles in hopes of lighting the way for victims of sexual abuse — and to show them that they are not alone in their struggle and fight for justice.


What You Need To Know

  • A vigil was held at a courthouse for sex abuse victims

  • More than 90% of child sex abuse cases are perpetrated by someone the victim knows

  • The vigil was organized after a former high school coach was charged with multiple sexual offenses with a minor

That is exactly why the organizer of the event, Tracey Jones, put the vigil, “Light the Way Vigil For Abused Children” together in the first place — spurred from the news of a case in her own backyard.

A recent Clermont County case sparked Jones, a Bethel resident, to do something. She created a Facebook page and this event in hopes of reaching survivors of abuse and let them know they are not alone and that they have support in their corner.

In fact, it was on another Facebook group where members were discussing the case, when Jones’ desire to stand up and speak out for all victims ignited.

"I saw comments of concern and anger, but the ones that stood out the most were people who knew the coach and suspected something. How did those voices get ignored? I realized that maybe it was time to highlight the silence that victims live with and to offer a public show of support for the victim and to show other victims that there is help and support if they come forward,” Jones said.

That case was pertaining to former Bethel-Tate High School coach, Chad Willhoff, who was arrested and charged with several counts of sexual offenses with a minor.

Willhoff, of Milford, turned himself into the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office in July after a grand jury indicted him on 10 third-degree felony charges, including one count of gross sexual imposition, three counts of sexual battery and six counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

The alleged abuse spanned over several years, beginning when the victim was 12 years old and continued while Willhoff was her coach from 2004-2008 at Bethel-Tate High School, said Clermont County Assistant Prosecutor Scott O’Reilly.

Willhoff, 41, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. However, if convicted, he faces 50 years in prison and will have to register as a tier-3 sex offender.

During the time frame in which he is accused, Willhoff worked for Bethel-Tate High School as a girls soccer, track, and basketball coach, as well as the boys track coach.

“Obviously, he had access to her in a lot of different ways—one of which was being a coach of her while she was in high school, so that’s concerning enough,” O’Reilly said shortly after Willhoff’s indictment in July.

However, that access reached further than school because Willhoff is also a family member of the victim, according to the prosecutor.

“You’re talking about an entire family being damaged. And in a lot of cases, when it’s inter-family, and we have a lot of those. It’s not just difficult on the victim but just how this changes the entire family dynamic. It just tells you how personal sex offenses are and how many different people are really affected by it,” O’Reilly said.

And that aspect is not that uncommon in child sex abuse cases.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), more than 90 percent of abuse victims will be at the hands of someone they know.

It is unknown at this time if there are any other victims in Willhoff’s case, but O’Reilly said it only takes one person coming forward for others to feel strong enough to report their abuse as well.

"It's not uncommon at all for additional people to come forward, and you can see how this has been a pattern of conduct usually for a very lengthy period of time,” O’Reilly said.

"I think there's strength in numbers," he continued. "I think that a lot of times it takes one very brave person to stand on their own and then it takes somebody to believe them — but I think that once there's that strength position... then the flood gates open.”

To the victim, who has come forward to report abuse, Jones had a message.

"She is a hero; she is strong and courageous to come forward. Bringing her abuse to light and seeking justice will encourage others to do the same and she is helping to protect others who might have been future victims. I have the utmost respect and admiration for her,” Jones said. “She’s an inspiration. She’s a warrior. Together, we’ll make a difference even if for just one kid.”

 

The sun begins to set, dipping behind the courthouse, as folks gather just underneath the illuminated Village of Batavia clock. The minute hand clicks up and dusk begins to settle in as the candles continue to light the way.

Silence.

It’s the sound of the sexual abuse victim who is too afraid to come forward and speak out, Jones said. It’s that silence that compelled her to give them a voice through this vigil and amplify their muffled pleas for help.

“We hear this. We see this is a problem. We see the silence,” Jones said. "This vigil is to show these kids someone’s listening."

Jones planned the vigil for a certain time with a distinct purpose in mind.

“This is happening in the darkness,” Jones said. "The starting time of 9:11 p.m. is a reminder that we should report our suspicions to the authorities. Also, to remind us that this is a crime that happens in the cover of darkness and for some children, when their nightmare begins. The last significant purpose of the time is to remind us, as we tuck our children into be every night that we have an opportunity to talk and bond and to give them a safe space and time to talk about their worries.”

Amid signs posted to the courthouse’s large white pillars that state: #SaveOurChildren, as well as indicating the effects of abuse to victims and another citing statistics of sexual abuse, in an effort to inform and bring awareness, Jones also passes out candles and copies of “The Oath.”

“I believe that every child has a right to grow up free from abuse. I believe that the responsibility to protect children rests solely in adult hands. I believe that, as adults, we must remain ever vigilant and dedicate no less than the best of ourselves to that purpose. To all the victims of abuse, male and female, adult and children, known and unknown: I pledge to educate myself about the realities of child abuse; I pledge to give a voice and report any and all suspicions; I pledge to cast a light in the darkness by doing the right thing the first time, every time.”

The purpose of the vigil, Jones said, is to "stand in unity for unheard voices of our children. To shed light on the silence and shame that survivors must overcome, to begin to heal and find some balance in the hopes of not just surviving, but thriving."

Everyone has a reason to be at the vigil. For Jones, it’s personal.

"The silence causes more harm with victims developing Complex Post Traumatic Disorders, depression, anxiety, among others. Behavioral issues can lead to drug use, crime, self-harm or even suicide. It's an emotional topic because I am a survivor and my heart hurts for the difficult emotional journey that faces other survivors,” she said.

Others came out to support someone they know.

“I feel like these people need our voice, show our support,” said Linda Vankwickler, who, along with her husband Rick, drove from Hyde Park to light a candle for sexual abuse victims. Like many attending, she knows a victim of child sex abuse.

“I can stand for my friend and her daughter. They’re still struggling. It’s hard for them all — she suffered all these years,” Vankwickler said about her friend’s daughter. And they are not alone.

“We all know someone this happened to. They don’t have to suffer in silence — they’re not alone,” Jones, who was wearing a blue and white peace sign face mask, said to another supporter at the vigil Sunday night.

In 2016, nearly 58,000 children were victims of sexual abuse, according to RAINN.org. And the CDC reported that one in four girls and one in 13 boys will experience sex abuse during their childhood.

Neena Gould, a 43-year-old mother, of Hamersville, Ohio, knows that statistic all too well. Her 11-year-old daughter was sexually abused by someone close to them. He received five years behind bars, she said. But it was not enough justice for her or her daughter.

“There’s a lot of them who need to wake up [and] see the real problem,” Gould said, holding a candle with both hands close to her chest.

Every nine minutes in the United States, a child is sexually assaulted, according to RAINN — however; five out of every 1,000 accused will serve time in prison.

Gould came out to the vigil to let all victims know that she supports them and to make a statement about stricter enforcement against abusers.

“We are standing behind them. We’ll keep pushing. I think laws need changed for harder sentences,” she said.

As a survivor of abuse herself, Jones said anyone who sees something must say something to protect more children from becoming victims.

"These victims live in fear and are unable to know who to trust sometimes, so they're not reaching out. It's very likely that it has happened to someone in their family, but since it is rarely discussed, they may not realize it,” Jones said. “I would ask that they take a personal oath to educate themselves on the effects of abuse and commit to reporting suspicions to the proper authorities. I want them to know they have the potential to save children's lives.”