By Ally Slocum, REACH Intern Most often when discussing my summer plans with people in my life, I was met with variations of the same response: that working with survivors of domestic violence sounded like sad, heavy work. There are some aspects of interning at REACH that do feel heavy- it can be really difficult to hear about all of the challenges that many of the…
By Kathy Brophy, Wellesley High School Fitness and Health Teacher and 2019 Ruth and Virginia Bigwood Voice for Justice Award Winner I was recently honored by REACH Beyond Domestic Violence with the Ruth and Virginia Bigwood Voice for Justice Award at their Annual Meeting this past May. When Laura, REACH’s Executive Director, walked into my first period class to let me know, I was surprised, honored and…
“We’re going to be talking about consent? (giggles). You mean sex? (giggles).” When students say that, I respond with “consent is not just about sex. That’s just one part of it.” When adults question me, I say something like “consent is not just a one-time conversation about sex. It is a transferable skill that requires practice, introspection, and application throughout our whole span of human interaction….
As we leave Women’s History Month (March) behind, and head into Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April), it seems like as good a time as any to talk about men’s engagement in the work to end sexual and domestic violence. During March, we wrote about the White Ribbon movement and on March 1 observed White Ribbon Day here in Massachusetts. The White Ribbon pledge is a public…
Dear REACH Volunteers, Last year, you volunteered for 6,285 hours. You gave 6,285 hours of your time to support people you had never met before. You spent your days fixing toilets, moving furniture, repainting walls. You spent your evenings answering the hotline, providing a place for survivors to share their story, to hear they are not alone. You did all of this for someone you do not know. …
Recently, REACH welcomed Hillel Bromberg to our staff as our part-time Grant Writer. Tell us a little about yourself: I’ve been a writer since I was old enough to hold a pen (well, probably a crayon at the time). As a professional wordsmith, I quickly discovered the joy of translating ideas onto the page in a way that the intended audience understands, whether through annual reports,…
Back in October, REACH welcomed Chloe Snyder to the staff as our new Annual Giving Officer. Chloe will be working closely with new and existing donors to help form lasting and meaningful relationships. Tell us a little about yourself: I was born and raised in Western Massachusetts in a countercultural small city called Northampton. After graduating high school, I attended Hartwick College in Oneonta NY for…
This Slate article (“The Trump Administration Quietly Changed the Definition of Domestic Violence…”) infuriates me. It’s terrifying. And it really struck a nerve with me. The article brings attention to change made in April 2018 to a government webpage that included a comprehensive description of domestic violence. That description of domestic violence was changed to reflect the statutory definition of domestic violence included in the Violence…
Holiday Gift week. It is something that is talked about throughout the year as one of the best (and busiest) weeks of the year at REACH. It is highly anticipated, extremely organized, and most of all, filled with passion that exudes from everyone involved. Survivors, donors, community members, staff, volunteers. You can feel it in the air. I started working at REACH in June, so this…
A few days before the gala, I was fortunate to hear Sally Field read and discuss her memoir In Pieces. Sally spoke about her writing process; she talked about reflecting on her life and seeing the pieces – lining them up to examine them – and putting them back together to see her life anew, and in some ways differently than before. I appreciated her observation…
