Arson attack suspected in New Orleans women's clinic fire

The executive director of the nonprofit Women With a Vision in New Orleans says that her clinic was "intentionally" burned because of the work that it does to help poor women and sex workers.

"Something was put on the walls to set the fire," Deon Haywood told WWLTV on Monday. "So this was really painful to think that somebody would intentionally come into our office and set these things on fire."

According to the group's website, Women With a Vision offers "safe, respectful, free of judgment spaces for women and girls impacted by the sex trade and street economies." Their work includes HIV prevention, breast cancer awareness and reproductive health.

"I mean, we have serious health issues here and we reach the people most at risk for these diseases, and so that in itself, really hurts," Haywood said. "I'm trying not to get emotional, but that hurts, that someone would target us like this."

The group has posted an appeal for donations and in-kind contributions because "we will literally be starting from scratch."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) are conducting a joint investigation into a series of similar suspected arson attacks on women's clinics in Georgia.

Watch this video from WWLTV, broadcast May 28, 2012.

(h/t: Think Progress)