‘Shane’s Place’ a safe haven for parent visitation

The South County Spotlight, Oct 29, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Local activists against domestic violence are launching a new program that will provide a safe place where a parent, restrained under court order from contact with his or her child, can still have supervised visitation with that child.

Called “Shane’s Place” after 10-year-old Shane Davis, who in 2008 was killed in a murder-suicide by his father, it will be located in a room at the Windermere Realty office at 517 N. Highway 30 in St. Helens.

“We’ve known for several years in this community there’s been a need for it, especially for what happened with Shane,” said Melissa Stroud, the family and victims advocate with the Women’s Resource Center.

Shane’s death exposed questions concerning Columbia County’s lack of a safe place where parents who are restrained from visiting their child can do so in a supervised setting. Prior to Shane’s Place, Columbia County residents largely had to rely on friends and family to provide supervision and support for such visits.

Shannon Davis, Shane’s mother, was expected to learn about Shane’s Place at a ceremony of light held for the survivors of domestic abuse at the old Columbia County Courthouse on Tuesday night.

Stroud said the organizers’ goal is start out with a few families and grow from there. An open house of Shane’s Place is scheduled to occur Nov. 17.

For more information, contact the Women’s Resource Center at 1-866-397-6161.