Services

Support is only a call away.  Our 24-hour line is available for resources, referrals, emotional support, education and information, shelter and hotel screening, and access to all direct services provided by The Harbor.

We believe that we can best serve our clients by building strong community partnerships so that each of the agencies in our community can focus on what they do best.  Together, we work as a team to provide wrap-around services to meet client needs. Our advocates are trained to provide assistance in accessing and navigating community resources, figuring out options, safety planning, setting goals, providing information about the dynamics of domestic and sexual violence and/or assisting with other advocacy needs.

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Advocates can work with the survivor to address problems and barriers within systems like the judicial system, health care provider networks, educational systems, or social services systems. Survivors may seek support working with specific agencies or entities like the police department, District Attorney’s office, or the Department of Family Service (DHS), etc. Our goal is to assist survivors in achieving their desired outcome and to improve system response to all survivors.

The Harbor recognizes the importance of having a team of staff that is as diverse as the community we serve.  We celebrate diversity, and believe that all individuals have inherent worth and are, therefore, regarded with honor regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, class, age, country of origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, religion or ability. It is essential to honor our differences, as well as our similarities. Respect is reflected in the way we treat our clients, ourselves, and members of the community.  We have staff who are not only part of the communities they serve (LGBTQIA+, Latinx) but have received specialized training in order to better support those facing additional barriers and challenges.

There are times when a survivor determines that staying in Clatsop County is detrimental to their safety.  The Harbor partners with other agencies to arrange travel accommodations for survivors to stay at shelters or with safe family or friends outside the county.  The Harbor also has emergency funding to provide bus tickets, gas cards, and temporary phones to survivors relocating out of the area.

Safety planning is a personalized, practical plan that includes ways to remain safe while in a relationship, when planning to leave the relationship, or after leaving.  Safety planning isn’t just about physical safety, but also about your emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing.  Comprehensive safety plans include ways to cope with trauma, how to talk to friends, family, landlords and employers about the abuse, legal options, preparing your children to leave, and more.

Our shelter is in a confidential location in Clatsop County, and is a home-like environment with private rooms for each family.  Advocates are available  to support survivors and provide case management. Shelter screenings are available 24/7 through our hotline (503) 325-5735, o linea de crisis en Español (855) 938-0584.

Our advocates listen and believe survivors of sexual violence, past and present.  We provide accompaniment to medical care and forensic exams, and information about reporting options. Advocates can also provide information about trauma response and self-care, referrals to community resources and counseling options, assist with completing Crime Victims Compensation applications, and provide advocacy and accompaniment during interviews with law enforcement if the survivor chooses to make a report.

The Harbor also provides emotional support and education to family members, partners, and friends as they manage the challenging role of helping their loved one cope in the aftermath of sexual violence.

Advocates at The Harbor provide advocacy and support to survivors during interactions with law enforcement and accompaniment to civil or criminal court hearings. While advocates are not attorneys and are not able to provide legal advice, we can inform survivors of their legal rights, what to expect during the legal process, possible outcomes, and provide information that will allow survivors make informed decisions about whether to engage in the court process. Advocates are able to assist survivors with completing and filing protective orders and Crime Victims Compensation applications.

The Harbor provides free, confidential support groups for survivors of domestic and sexual violence of all genders throughout the year.  Our support group offerings vary throughout the year, and focus on topics such as healthy coping skills, boundaries, trauma and healing through art, parental support,  and intimacy following an assault. Please contact us for a current list of support groups at (503) 325-5735.

The most effective way to end domestic violence is through awareness and providing comprehensive prevention education, increasing proactive prevention behaviors and teaching healthy, safe dating and relationships skills.  We partner with local high and middle schools, Tongue Point Job Corp Center, Lower Columbia Q Center, and Foster Club to provide prevention education to youth and young adults; and provide bystander intervention training to community partners and local organizations.