“You shouldn’t have been wearing high heels!” – Mother to daughter who was assaulted on her way home from work “Truthfully, I was a very sexual girl. I really don’t think he was at fault because I was just so promiscuous, he couldn’t help it.” – Adult survivor, describing sexual abuse she experienced as a five-year-old child “I’m so sorry you had to come out in…
Throughout my career, including just yesterday, I have received calls from friends and family who are concerned that someone they love is experiencing abuse. These calls often start with the sentence, “I’m looking for some advice…” and I can hear in their voices how deeply worried they are, and how much they hope that I can provide an answer for them. As I do with each of these calls,…
On my way in to work this morning, a song by Justin Timberlake came on the radio. I’d heard it before, but being stuck in traffic allowed me to pay more attention to the lyrics, and one line in the chorus really stood out to me: “Sometimes the greatest way to say something, is to say nothing at all.” That lyric stayed with me, as I later supported someone who…
Not long ago, I had the pleasure of training a group of collegiate male athletes. Their team, along with other athletic teams at their university, were participating in a day focused on addressing and preventing gender-based violence. As soon as we began our workshop together, it was evident that this was a group of young men who were highly motivated, not only to learn about these…
There is so much happening in the world today and following the verdict in the Bill Cosby trial, I was struggling with what to say in this time and space – something different and compelling. Then I opened an email from Debra Robbin, the Executive Director at our state coalition, Jane Doe Inc. Supporting and believing survivors is essential, and we must continue to invest in…
April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This year, it feels especially relevant given the national dialogue that our society is engaging in surrounding the #MeToo movement. April is always a meaningful time for me, as it marks what I think of as my entry into this work. Prior to college, I really had never thought about domestic or sexual violence, until a friend invited me to attend…
“Have You Heard About XYZ Case?” All too often, domestic violence is in the news. Here at REACH we always struggle with what, if anything, to say about these stories that everyone is talking about, or what news stories from other sources to share with you through our social media. This past week, it was Rob Porter. In the past, it was Ray Rice or Chris…
“We don’t even need words, we go straight to where the memory is stored.” This is how REACH’s Child and Adolescent Therapist, Catalina, describes the work she does through art therapy with children. The Art Therapy Alliance defines art therapy as “the deliberate use of art-making to address psychological and emotional needs, facilitated by an Art Therapist. Art therapy uses art media and the creative process…
For some people, the days and weeks since the new presidential administration took office have seemed to be one piece of bad news after the other. Some of us have our legislator’s office on speed dial, calling endlessly to protest attacks on healthcare, civil rights, immigration, climate protections, trade partnerships, foreign interference, and other issues that affect us and those we care about. It gets to the…
This week’s blog is by one of our Community Advocates, whose name we will withhold for confidentiality reasons. Recently I had the wonderful experience to be part of the Massachusetts Victim Assistance Academy (MVAA) which is conducted by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA) and other community agencies.
