Rachel Dissell, of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, spoke about her story of Johanna Orozco and domestic violence at the Women’s Resource Center. This month is Domestic Awareness month. SHAYE A. PAINTER | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: DKS Editors

The one thing that Plain Dealer reporter Rachel Dissell remembers most about her coverage of Johanna Orozco in her series “Johanna: Facing Forward” was writing back and forth on a white board when Johanna first woke up and still couldn’t talk.

“I told her to write it down for me in an e-mail or whatever,” Dissell said.

Dissell won a Dart Award for the series “Johanna: Facing Forward.” The series followed teenager Johanna Orozco, who was shot in the jaw by her ex-boyfriend and lived through it.

Orozco had gotten a restraining order on her ex-boyfriend before the shooting, but because she was considered a minor, her report never came up on the official police database. She called about him many times, but nothing was done.

October is domestic violence awareness month, and Dissell came to campus to speak about domestic violence awareness at the Women’s Resource Center yesterday.

Dissel says the Orozco family was very open. In fact, she said: “The last thing we wanted to do was become a replacement stalker, so we worked out a deal that worked for all of us.”

Dissell was allowed to watch as Orozco underwent surgery in the hospital.

“I’m just glad that neither of us get queasy,” Dissell said about her and the photographer’s experience.

Later, she attended Orozco’s prom where Orozco became prom queen. This was one of Dissell’s other most memorable moments.

She said she was standing near the stage with a recorder in one hand when Orozco was announced prom queen.

“With the other hand, I was wiping away tears,” Dissell said, getting teary-eyed once again.

During a slideshow played at the prom, Orozco saw a picture of her ex-boyfriend.

“She just kind of turned around an

kept dancing,” she said.

That was a very important turning point to the whole story, Dissell said. It was a point where she realized that Orozco could move past this.

Dissell was and is still very involved in Orozco’s life. Currently, she plans to go to Columbus with Orozco to be with her when she speaks on a current proposed bill. House Bill 247 would grant protection orders against children’s dating partners so that situations like Orozco’s can

be prevented.

The one thing that Plain Dealer reporter Rachel Dissell remembers most about her coverage of Johanna Orozco in her series “Johanna: Facing Forward” was writing back and forth on a white board when Johanna first woke up and still couldn’t talk.

“I told her to write it down for me in an e-mail or whatever,”

Dissell said.

Dissell won a Dart Award for the series “Johanna: Facing Forward.” The series followed teenager Johanna Orozco, who was shot in the jaw by her ex-boyfriend and lived through it.

Orozco had gotten a restraining order on her ex-boyfriend before the shooting, but because she was considered a minor, her report never came up on the official police database. She called about him many times, but nothing was done.

October is domestic violence awareness month, and Dissell came to campus to speak about domestic violence awareness at the Women’s Resource Center yesterday.

Dissel says the Orozco family was very open. In fact, she said: “The last thing we wanted to do was become a replacement stalker, so we worked out a deal that worked for all of us.”

Dissell was allowed to watch as Orozco underwent surgery in the hospital.

“I’m just glad that neither of us get queasy,” Dissell said about her and the photographer’s experience.

Later, she attended Orozco’s prom where Orozco became prom queen. This was one of Dissell’s other most memorable moments.

She said she was standing near the stage with a recorder in one hand when Orozco was announced prom queen.

“With the other hand, I was wiping away tears,” Dissell said, getting teary-eyed once again.

During a slideshow played at the prom, Orozco saw a picture of her ex-boyfriend.

“She just kind of turned around an

kept dancing,” she said.

That was a very important turning point to the whole story, Dissell said. It was a point where she realized that Orozco could move past this.

Dissell was and is still very involved in Orozco’s life. Currently, she plans to go to Columbus with Orozco to be with her when she speaks on a current proposed bill. House Bill 247 would grant protection orders against children’s dating partners so that situations like Orozco’s can be prevented.

Contact College of Communication and Information reporter Amy Szabo at [email protected].