community news
october6
SAFE of Columbia County Offers Help for
Vernonia Survivors of Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault
Did you know your relationship affects your
health? According to a recent Center for Disease Con-
trol (CDC) study, our social support system is the most
important indicator of our physical health. This is good
news for those whose families and partners are kind and
supportive. But for one in three women, and one in ten
men, unhealthy relationships may be having severe ef-
fects on their health and well-being, and ultimately on
the health and well-being of their community.
According to the CDC, expenses from intimate
partner violence exceed $5.8 billion each year, $4.1 bil-
lion of which is direct medical and mental health care
costs. In addition to physical injuries sustained during
violent episodes, abuse is also directly linked to a num-
ber of adverse physical health effects like depression,
substance abuse, arthritis, chronic neck or back pain,
migraines, stammering, vision problems, sexually trans-
mitted infections, chronic pelvic pain, stomach ulcers,
and more. Fortunately, people who talk to their doctor
about their relationships are more likely to find help,
Local Photographer
Offers Calendars for Sale
Garry Kinney, a local
photographer, is selling Vernonia
Calendars for 2017. All the
photographs were shot in the Vernonia
area and
showcase
our local
beauty.
The
calendars
sell for
$14.00. If
you live in town, Garry will probably
deliver them to you. For those living
out of town shipping is $2.00 for one
calendar and $2.50 for two. You can call
or text Garry directly at (503) 475-8777.
Owned and Operated by
Don & Kim Wallace
DON WALLACE, PLS
Professional Land Surveying
1224 E. Alder St.
Vernonia, OR 97064
Phone: 503-429-6115
FAX: 1-866-297-1402
Email: DWallace_KLS@msn.com
CORPORATE
MEMBER
Marie Krahn
Massage Therapy
Auto injury recovery/medical billing
• Accepting: Medical Benefits Cards
• Medical Massage Cupping
• Swedish Massage
• Reiki • Deep Tissue
• Reflexology
• doTerra Aroma Touch
• Trigger Point Therapy
• Myofacial Release
503-429-5180
lic#5495
mariekrahn@frontier.com
end unhealthy relationships, and report better physical
health.
This is why SAFE of Columbia County, the lo-
cal service provider for survivors of domestic violence,
sexual assault, and stalking, is partnering with Vernonia
Health Center and The Public Health Foundation of Co-
lumbia County to introduce universal education about
healthy relationships, and to provide a more direct link
of support for those concerned about how their relation-
ships might be affecting their health.
SAFE recently launched a pilot project at Ver-
nonia Health Center, which provides regular clinic hours
for a Healthy Relationship Specialist to meet with pa-
tients confidentially and discuss support, safety, and
education about health and relationship issues. The spe-
cialist, provides a safe link to other resources such as
shelter, legal aid, and Department of Human Services
(DHS) programs. SAFE also provides prevention class-
es and intervention training to youth and community
members.
The timing of this expansion is appropriate.
2016
7
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This
October, in addition to starting its partnership at Ver-
nonia Health Center, SAFE will train and certify new
volunteer survivor advocates to help operate its 24 Hour
Help Line. The Help Line is SAFE’s go-to service and
provides round-the-clock support for callers who may be
experiencing abuse and in-person response and accom-
paniment for survivors of sexual assault. The volunteer
advocates who operate the 24 Hour Help Line are of-
ten the first person a survivor may reach for help. SAFE
actively recruits volunteers for this purpose, and offers
certification classes several times throughout the year. If
you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming an
advocate for survivors of domestic or sexual violence,
please contact Allison Brady by email at allisonb@sa-
feofcolumbiacounty.org or call (503) 397-7110.
To learn more about SAFE’s services for survi-
vors, call SAFE’s 24 Hour Help Line (503) 397-6161.
You can also visit and “like” SAFE of Columbia County
on Facebook to find out more information about how to
support survivors.