House Rules: International Visitors
by Sonja Farster, House Manager, Monika’s House Shelter
I have had many exciting opportunities to exchange ideas and information with individuals around the globe who are as passionate about empowering domestic violence survivors as our agency. Last December, just before the holidays, I hosted Saba Ahmed, who wants to start a shelter in Pakistan and who was soon leaving for her homeland to monitor the upcoming elections, now postponed. (For The Oregonian article about Saba and her journey click here.)
One of the few shelters in Pakistan she was familiar with is open for only a few hours a day. The shelter does not provide resources for the women who go there. It is simply a location where women can talk. In many cases, the shelter can actually be more dangerous if the woman is seen going there. Saba also educated me about honor crimes; some women can lose their lives due to suspicions they may have dishonored the family name. This can sometimes be as little as merely being caught speaking to a man in public.
I told Saba about Monika’s House and the services we offer to help the residents heal. She was stunned at all the assistance and resources we provide. Aside from confidential emergency shelter, at Monika’s House survivors and their children work with counselors one-on-one and in group settings during their stay. We have a resource and referral system that allows us to advocate for clients who may be applying for a restraining order, housing, or financial assistance. Our advocates assist individuals with setting and accomplishing the self-sufficiency goals they set for themselves.
We also talked about our new Survivor Empowerment Fund, which allows survivors access to gift cards for such necessities as medication, food, bills or gas expenses. We also encourage survivors at Monika’s House to continue long term services, with our agency or elsewhere, for both themselves and their children even after they leave shelter.
Saba’s visit moved me very much because it truly gave me gratitude for the support we offer at Monika’s House. (I have since learned that she is sticking to her schedule and will return to Portland mid-January.)
In addition to Saba, 2007 saw us reach many parts of the planet, including the current hot spots. All of these visitors were in awe at the services we provide and the home that keeps survivors safe. I’ve realized that our world is really very small. Our communities face the same issues. We are much more powerful united together. And our message and goal are the same: to keep survivors safe and help end the cycle of violence.
- A group of human trafficking experts from Thailand, who were mostly excited about tips on nonprofit resource development and marketing. (February 2007)
- A group of human rights advocates and experts from Egypt, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Israel and Saudi Arabia. One of the participants, Mohammed Sayed Sultan (Assistant Director, Human Rights Outreach Project, The American University in Cairo, Egypt), emailed us after the visit: “I really enjoyed my visit to your center and it will be a dream to have something like it in Egypt. It is a dream!” Both this and the first visit were facilitated by the World Affairs Council of Oregon’s International Visitor Leadership Program; we hosted delegations through the Council in the past as well. Amy Barss, Program Manager and Milica Markovic, Program Coordinator, shared their thoughts on the visit: “Through your involvement in [the program], you are contributing to the improvement of relations between the U.S. and other countries in the most important way, person-to-person contact that bridges our world’s communities. We hope we will have the pleasure of working with you again in the future.” (May 2007)
- A group from Japan comprising advocates, service providers, scholars, students, and media representatives interested in services for abused children. This was the 4th annual visit by Resilience, a Tokyo nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and providing resources around domestic violence, brought a delegation to Domestic Violence Resource Center. For The Hillsboro Argus article on Resilience’s visit, click here. (August 2007)
- A couple of Soroptimists from Kenya. A representative of the club’s local chapter gave us this feedback: “[T]hank you on behalf of our club, Soroptimist International of Hillsboro ... for the kindness you showed our visiting Soroptimists from Kenya. Ms. Susan Manana and Ms. Christine Achold from SI Kisumu, Kenya participated in a Grant of Friendship exchange visiting Hillsboro and Washington County. The women learned about your programs and services and will take back with them to their homeland ideas and experiences to share. Thank you again for opening your doors to them. We send our thanks and gratitude to you and your staff who welcomed them warmly and provided information and this educational opportunity.” (October 2007)
If you’d like to support our efforts to raise awareness of domestic violence in your community and beyond this country’s borders, please make a donation now, by clicking here. It’s simple, secure, and earth-friendly. Thank you for your support!
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More stories:
Editorial: Not Your Average Domestic Violence Agency
Report: Survivor Empowerment Fund
