Peace Over Pieces Founder Clara Baldwin: Resources for Transition from Violence

On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States; this equates to more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year.

Clara, a Kansas City resident and Westminster College graduate, has taken steps to raise awareness of domestic abuse through her nonprofit Peace Over Pieces. Clara Baldwin has been a witness to domestic abuse and has experienced its lingering effects. To spread her message, she sets up a microphone in the living room of her house in Kansas City and records a podcast with a domestic violence survivor. She spreads the message about their experience and how they achieved peace after abuse.

She recently released an anthology containing 16 true stories from abuse survivors including her own story at the end. These stories describe the personal journey of each woman/man and what they endured to escape a situation of abuse. For each book purchased, 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to help transition victims out of their dangerous situations.

“All of the survivors in the anthology endured years of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Whether it was physical, emotional or sexual torment, it was never an easy journey, and they didn’t always get the help they needed from the system. By telling their stories, these survivors are letting others know that it’s possible to overcome both the trauma of domestic violence and the injustice of the system. They are using their experiences to help others and showing that there is a way out,” Clara states.

“Peace Over Pieces is not a direct resource to our own personal shelter,” she continues. “However, we provide information on shelters all over the nation. The goals of shelter programs are to enable survivors to rebuild their lives, achieve self-sufficiency and live free of abuse. Peace Over Pieces strives to educate and empower domestic violence survivors so they may gain confidence and a sense of self-worth and for those affected to make a successful transition to life outside the shelter.”

Peace Over Pieces is able to provide information on a variety of programs to survivors of all ages on their journey to safety and normalcy. “We recognize that survivors escaping domestic violence face new and unfamiliar situations and having access to the right people at the right time can make all the difference in the world,” Clara concludes.

In the first day of launch, the anthology sold more than 100 copies. Clara plans to donate the money immediately, continue to podcast, and help as many survivors as possible create new lives for themselves. To learn more, visit peace-over-pieces.org. ■