Patrisha launched Finding Our Voices on Valentine's Day 2019 as a multi-media exhibit in her hometown public library in Camden, three years after her husband of 29 years was convicted of domestic abuse. The exhibit featured photo portraits of 14 Maine survivors of domestic abuse breaking their own silence with audio, and customized Power and Control wheels.

Participants included Patrisha's hairdresser Kate; the daughter of Patrisha's best friend Bekah; Patrisha's architect neighbor Meg who designed the library addition in which the exhibit was held; and Mel, owner of the local natural food store. Christine had been framing Patrisha's photos for the exhibit when she shared that she too was terrorized by multiple people she loved, just in time to frame her own photograph for the exhibit.

Awareness

2,000 huge banners papering downtown business windows of 50-plus Maine towns since April 2020. The 20"x 32" banners feature one of 40 named, Maine survivors aged 18 to 81, letting women trapped in domestic abuse know 'You are not alone' and of the resources that are out there, while alerting and educating the public to the domestic abuse all around us. As you drive/walk around Maine, how many of US can you see and hear?

High schools from York to Caribou are bringing the bold, survivor-powered outreach of Finding Our Voices to their students starting in February's Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.

Book Giveaway

With a grant from the Maine Humanities Council, we buy books from local bookstores that helped us understand the domestic abuse we were experiencing. Survivors individually inscribe each one, and gift them to our sisters who are still trapped, along with a bookmark featuring the survivor who wrote the message!

Get Out / Stay Out Fund

Finding Our Voices has access to a fund that pays bills and buys items to empower women to get out and stay out of domestic abuse, and get and keep their children safe, as well as rebuild their lives.

We have provided funding for rent, a short-term motel stay, cosmetology, and clamming certification, a computer, car repairs, groceries, and business cards for an artist having her first exhibit after 11 years of "not being allowed" to practice her art.