Paula Lucas: Pathways to Safety for Americans Abroad
Paula Lucas is the founder of Pathways To Safety International, which has won numerous awards. Paula fled to Oregon in 1999 to escape domestic violence and child abuse, after living as an American expat abroad for 14 years, in Europe as well as the Middle East.
Before federal grants were discontinued for American sexual assault victims abroad in 2017 and American domestic violence victims abroad in 2019, the organization served thousands of victims annually and operated a 24/7/365 crisis center in Portland, with a staff of 15 and a budget of $1 million.
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Today, the organization continues to provide services via a crisis email hotline to hundreds of victims in foreign countries. Pathways’ leadership advocates for the reinstatement of federal funding and has worked on legislation, Supporting American Victims Overseas Act, to allow The Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, funding to be used to serve Americans who become victims of sexual and gender-based violence abroad.
Homeless at 40 years old, with her three sons aged 4, 6 & 8 and living in a domestic violence shelter in Oregon, Paula founded the first organization of its kind, assisting American victims of domestic violence in foreign countries. Eventually the organization expanded its services to sexual assault, forced marriage and sex trafficking .
Soroptimist International of Portland meets monthly to provide a business update from each of the Committees.
Monthly Meeting: December
Reiko Cordeiro is Union Gospel Mission’s new Women’s LifeChange Director. Reiko is a licensed professional counselor in Oregon, and has been working alongside the men, women and children in the LifeChange residential recovery programs for nearly ten years. “It’s a privilege to have a front-row seat to the healing and transformational change God is working in people’s lives.”
Originally from Waikiki, Hawaii, Reiko moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2011 after completing her BA in Psychology at UCLA in Los Angeles (2004) and her MA in Counseling Psychology at The Wright Institute in Berkeley (2011). She enjoys her peace-filled life in Hillsboro with her husband, Paul and their fur-teens—Luna (Blue Heeler), and Bella (domestic long-hair cat).
Monthly Meetings for the Soroptimist International of Portland include a business meeting with updates from the Board and Committees.
Soroptimist International of Portland meets monthly to provide a business update from each of the Committees.