Some things are just plain hard to talk about. They’re hard to think about, let alone discuss in ‘polite’ company. But sometimes those are the things that need to be brought out into the open, because they thrive in silence, in isolation, in stigma. That’s what the Hope Project is about. REACH created the Hope Project in 2002 to look at the intersection of domestic violence…
Did you know it’s National Volunteer Week? We appreciate our volunteers EVERY week, but we thought we’d take some time out before the week was over to shine a spotlight on two of our volunteers who embody a deep commitment to REACH. And if you’ve ever thought about becoming involved with REACH by volunteering…read on and let these two tell you about the many ways you…
Like so many people in the Boston area, we at REACH were back at work this Monday morning and trying to regain a sense of normalcy after the harrowing events of the last week. We work in Waltham, which was one of the six cities and towns along with Boston itself that were completely shut down on Friday. As we posted that announcement to our Facebook…
Last week, REACH joined representatives from other Jane Doe Inc. member agencies at the Massachusetts State House to tell legislators and their staff about the lifesaving work that we do and the need to keep funding it. Here’s what Jane Doe’s website has to say: “On a daily basis, community programs are working to prevent sexual and domestic violence and create safer communities. These services provide…
Recent stories in the local and national news have raised serious questions about schools and their responses to reports of violence between students. Those stories, as well as the ones that never make the news, illustrate the need to be aware of schools’ policies before an incident takes place. Since April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we thought we’d take this opportunity to remind you that…
In just one 24-hour period, 1,752 victims of domestic violence received services from domestic violence programs in Massachusetts. The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) just released the results of their annual National Census of Domestic Violence Services, which they conducted in September. NNEDV made the results available in the report: “Domestic Violence Counts: A 24-hour Census of Domestic Violence Shelters and Services.” The sheer…
What does immigration have to do with domestic violence? More than you might think. Immigrant victims of domestic violence suffer disproportionately from the effects of domestic violence. They are often isolated, may not have access to bilingual support services, and are often afraid for their immigration status. Sometimes they come from countries where law enforcement and the courts are corrupt and not to be trusted. Many…
When we list the services that REACH provides to domestic violence survivors, we almost always include the words “safety planning.” But what exactly does that mean? Have you ever stopped to think about it? When you do, you start to understand the complexity of the challenges that domestic violence survivors face. When one of our Advocates meets with a domestic violence survivor, safety is always a…
Thursday was a day filled with emotion and significance for those of us doing domestic violence work in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Events converged on a national, state, and local level that called attention to the issue of dating and domestic violence. We were proud to see President Obama sign the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) after a long battle of fighting for…
So often domestic violence gets talked about in the context of the adults involved that we don’t always stop to think about how it’s affecting the kids. Children who live in homes where there is domestic violence are almost always aware of what is going on, and are often abused themselves. This can have a devastating effect on their lives. Many of the children we see…
