“Coming forward was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, for the longest time I stayed quiet, wore makeup over my bruises and avoided looking people in the eyes, then one day as I sat in front of the mirror, I saw myself in a way I hadn’t before, I saw the mother I was becoming. I saw the environment I was raising my son in, and I had had enough.” Shared Savanah Mohr, victim of domestic violence.

On Thursday April 10th, the Clackamas County District Attorney’s office held an event at the Oregon City courthouse plaza that highlighted programs which provide services to families and individual affected by domestic violence, sex abuse and child abuse.

Unfortunately, these topics are often taboo, meaning it is crucial that these events are held. Victims often do not know where to turn in times of crisis, and getting help is often life saving for those in an abusive situation.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month as well as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The DAs office holds this event every year in collaboration with various non-profit organizations and agencies which provide assistance to those affected by domestic violence, child abuse, sex abuse or elder abuse.

Organizations and programs such as Northwest Family Services, A Safe Place Family Justice Center, Safety Compass and the Victim Impact program held informative booths at the event.

Program services coordinator for A Safe Place Family Justice Center April Everest shared how her organization functions, “We’re a family justice center model or concept that means we bring multiple agencies and a coordinated response to wrap around those that are going through abusive situations. The idea behind it is to reduce the amount of time someone has to go and collect services so its all under one roof.”

She continued, “We have anything from emergency safety planning to information about housing to general advocacy about ways to stay safe in addition to protective orders on site to get protection from that abusive party, and then we also connect folks to on site law enforcement.”

Navigator for Northwest Family services Darren Sanchez explained, “We have a lot of different programs, they include free tax preparation which is happening right now. We help with OHP applications, and program that helps with climate change so it helps people with getting stuff for heating, cooling stuff like that. I work with a program called screen wise, which is for women who quality to get free mammograms. We help with transportation, interpreters if they need it, so its a really great program.”

Domestic Violence advocate for Northwest Family services Marilyn Rios Bayo said, “We have Casa Esperanza, so its a confidential shelter that can fit up to six women and their children, we also can house up to three families in hotels. Were culturally specific for Latino women in the community, and were the only shelter in Oregon that is culturally specific for Latino women, so we’re pretty unique.”

She shared, “We’ll connect them if they need to file a restraining order, if they need to apply for benefits at DHS, if they have medical transportation needs, so well get them connected to all the resources that they need. Casa Esperanza is really unique because it really is like a big home.”

Organizations like the ones mentioned here are vital, and any one of these organizations are wiling to help those in crisis, and lead them to get out of an abusive situation.

John Wentworth, elected district attorney for Clackamas County, stated, “We have a special unit that’s dedicated to helping or assisting crime victims. The other organizations around the perimeter are all partner agencies that we work with in some way, they provide services, different kinds of services that  maybe our victim assistance unit doesn’t provide, but collectively that the idea is to wrap services around crime victims so they have a better chance of having a positive outcome from the criminal justice system.”

He went on, “Resources are the biggest thing [missing from the criminal justice system]. Nonprofits are constantly having to try to raise money just to stay afloat. That’s one of the biggest challenges that we have is just keeping those services available to crime victims. And then, were always looking for more programs tat will serve more culturally specific communities.

That’s the beautiful thing. You can knock on any of these doors, we all work together all the time, so they know what to do. If they’re not the perfect organization, they’ll send you to the right place.”