October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. While the month is a national campaign, domestic violence is an issue that directly affects many people within the Woodburn community.
According to the Oregon Department of Justice report on domestic violence, 39% of men and 42% of women in Oregon have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. From 2013 to 2022, 386 Oregonians died as a result of domestic violence.
In Woodburn, the Center for Hope & Safety works to provide shelter and other resources to local survivors of domestic violence. In 2024, the organization provided over 12,000 nights of shelter to survivors, according to Divina Sandoval, the center’s advocacy and outreach manager…