MH site will make it easier, more convenient for victims
Published in the August 6 – 19, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Photo by Marty Cheek
Aide Fernandez Portillo speaks to members of the press at the opening of the new Family Justice Center at Community Solutions.
Aide Fernandez Portillo said she feared for her safety and that of her two children because a former spouse tried to kill her three times. When the domestic violence case went to the court system, she would have faced the inconvenience of taking many hours off and finding transportation to San Jose. But with the urging of the Santa Clara District Attorney’s office, she received help from Morgan Hill’s Community Solutions in dealing with the difficult situation.
“They put me in contact with Victim Witness,” Portillo said through a Spanish language translator. “I’m very happy with the therapy I received because for me it was very difficult due to time issues and constraints in transportation to travel to San Jose.”
To help other victims of domestic crimes, a Family Justice Center was launched last month at the Community Solutions office at 16264 Church St. in Morgan Hill.
“This center is a one-stop location where South County residents can access services relating to domestic violence,” Santa Clara County Supervisor Mike Wasserman said.
The center will be open every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m.
“As your District Attorney, I know that violence begets violence,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “Children of abusers learn to respond to stress and conflict with violence, whether that happens in their homes or the community at large, in the streets or in the school. Thus our entire community benefits when the cycle of domestic violence is broken. The Family Justice Center can help break that cycle.”
