Clackamas
Women’s Services, OR

02 May Clackamas
Women’s Services, OR

I am delighted and honored that Clackamas Women’s Services in Oregon City, OR chose my abstract landscape photography to fill their new Safe Place Family Justice Center. Clackamas Women’s Services (CWS) based in Oregon City, OR “…offers free services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence providing support to individuals and families as they work towards a self-sufficient, violent-free life”.

A Safe Place Family Justice Center, completed at the end of 2013, is where victims of abuse can run to in a time of crisis and deal with their next steps all under one roof.

Clackamas Women’s Services offers spiritual support, housing services, legal counseling, and financial support services. Also survivors of domestic violence will be able to talk with a counselor, file a police report, find a battered-women’s shelter, join a support group and get a restraining order from a judge — all in one building called “A Safe Place”.

A lot of survivors and their families did not know where to run to as there are so many steps to deal with in order to get out of the unsafe situation so they often go back to the abuser as it seems the easiest option. Now, the new Safe Place is a safe environment for victims of domestic abuse can turn to, and where everything can be dealt with together: a “one-stop shop [where] we can provide wraparound services to victims, so families don’t have to go place-to-place.”

I am thrilled that CWS selected 22 images from my portfolio to fill their new Safe House, and I hope individuals will find solace looking at my images during their time there.

“When staff are conducting tours they often talk about the intentionality of including your artwork to convey a sense of serenity to visitors. I have personally heard very positive feedback about the welcoming, calming effect of the images. Your work is hanging in common spaces, hallways that would otherwise be very sparely decorated, counseling rooms, and right behind the reception desk to greet people as they arrive to access services.” – Maya Edelstein, Development and Communications Coordinator