Rachel Payton awarded for decade of service to victims of domestic abuse

Rachel Payton remembers feeling helpless as a child, watching her mother being beaten in three abusive relationships.

When her mother died 11 years ago, Payton felt she needed to reach out to help others, and started working as an overnight counselor at a Portland shelter for domestic violence victims.

Her part-time work turned to a full-time passion. Today, Payton, 33, will be honored for her decade-long effort to improve the community's response to domestic violence survivors.

Payton helped develop Volunteers of America's Home Free program -- which assists domestic violence victims in the tri-county area find housing, and then connects them with counseling, jobs and other support services. She's now the agency's advocacy coordinator but keeps her hand in direct services, counseling two to three families at a time. "That's what keeps me grounded," Payton said.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/10/rachel_payton_awarded_for_deca.html

....always love your posts ccharles000. Passing this one on. :loveya:

I am not blaming the victim here. Some women feel they "deserve" to be abused. They need to be counseled. They need to learn that no one has a right to abuse them physically or verbally.