Amelia Williams with her “Ring of Hope” samples at Bistro Soul. (Photo/Kelly Thomas)

Jewelry designer Amelia Williams is fighting domestic violence with beauty.

Her “Ring of Hope,” a ring designed with the struggles of victims of domestic violence in mind, debuted today at Bistro Soul on East Ohio Street.

Williams wants to send a message to victims: “They don’t need to be afraid to leave.”

As a victim of domestic violence herself, Williams said it took her many years to fully recover and become the successful business woman she is now.

Sue Anthony of Womansplace asked Williams if she’d ever considered making a piece of jewelry dedicated to domestic violence awareness.  Williams took the suggestion to heart, and it became the “Ring of Hope” campaign.

“I saw hope when I looked at the [crystal] ring,” Williams said.

The “Ring of Hope” in non-tarnish brass. (Photo/Kelly Thomas)

Hand-wrapped wire around an Austrian crystal circle symbolizes the chaos of living as a victim of domestic violence. The crystal circle stands for the hope that each victim can find within, and a second crystal within the ring symbolizes the survivor’s life after violence, Williams said.

Williams lives in Elizabeth and she attends Allegheny Center Alliance Church. Fellow ACAC-member and Bistro-to-Go owner Nikki Heckman offered to host the campaign’s launch, and Williams gladly accepted.

“My focus here is to get as many orders as possible,” Williams said. “I would like to be able to take this further than Pittsburgh.”

Her colleagues in other cities have already expressed an interest in becoming part of the campaign, and so far Williams said she’s received a good number of orders.

Each ring is custom-made and designed for the buyer, and comes in 14-karat gold-filled, brass and sterling silver wire. Prices vary, and $5 from each ring goes toward charity.

To learn more about Williams, her jewelry and the campaign, visit her website, www.jewelryartbyamelia.com, or the “Ring of Hope” website, http://ringofhopecampaign.com.