Alone in court, with no lawyer or advocate, Ashley called her ex-husband to the stand to question him about the pain he inflicted on her. She had to prove he was not a safe person.
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Ashley, a domestic violence survivor who spoke to the Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team on the condition that her full name not be used, said the legal system exacerbated her distress as she sought relief from her abuser and custody of their child.
JESS HUME-PANTUSO, Mid-Valley Media
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The Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team surveyed 150 women from July through October 2024 across eleven women’s daytime and overnight shelters throughout the Pacific Northwest.
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Ashley walks through Laurelhurst Park on a rare sunny autumn day in Portland while describing her experiences with domestic violence and homelessness.
JESS HUME-PANTUSO, Mid-Valley Media
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Most women who have experienced homelessness report experiencing violence from strangers. Transgender women find they face additional challenges.
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Ashley sits on a park bench gesturing with her hands, manicured with sparkly blue nail polish, as she describes the isolation that comes with prolonged exposure to domestic violence.
JESS HUME-PANTUSO, Mid-Valley Media
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Nicole Hayden can be reached at nicole.hayden@lee.net or at (810) 210-1561.
In this Series
Updated
Jul 7, 2025
Updated
Jul 20, 2025
Updated
Jul 7, 2025
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