By Maya*, REACH Survivor Speakers Bureau “I knew I had to leave…it was the only way my son and I would ever be safe.” Those are the words I spoke when I sat down with REACH staff during my initial intake. For most people, deciding to leave can seem like such a simple thing. If you don’t want to be somewhere, you turn around and you leave. Easy as that. But for domestic survivors like myself, choosing to leave is often not so simple, and it’s never easy. As survivors, one of the questions we’re asked most often is some variation of “if it was so bad, why didn’t you just leave?” It’s a fair que ..read more

After reading the recent article in the Commonwealth Beacon calling for improvements to Massachusetts’ child protection system, I was reminded of the work that REACH advocates do every day, and of a situation I encountered several years ago that highlights what the article is talking about.   =======================  At a previous job, I worked with a family that had limited English proficiency and were affected by domestic violence (DV). They don’t know the culture here very well. They aren’t aware that they’re not supposed to hit their child when the child isn’t following dir ..read more

In addition to being Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, February is Black History Month. Roxanne T., a former volunteer and now a member of REACH's shelter staff, shares her thoughts on the significance of Black History Month and working in the field of domestic violence.   It’s not every day that you encounter spaces that allow individuals the ability to feel heard. When I started volunteering with REACH a number of years ago, I certainly didn’t know what to expect...from being able to answer phone calls to working in the shelter. REACH was one of the first volunteer opportunities th ..read more

  I returned to work in January after being on parental leave and kept asking myself “what is my role? Who am I?” I was balancing responsibilities, roles, and identities in a way I had never known. As the Youth Education Program Manager at REACH, I work directly with young people and support adults who work with, interact with, or care for young people- folks in schools, other service providers, parents, guardians, and people who are in a parenting or nurturing role.  Now, it’s February, Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM). This month, thinking about how I parent my infant ..read more

January is Stalking Awareness Month. And while we might think of stalking as something that happens to actors or pop singers, it often plays a role in domestic violence or intimate partner relationships. According to The Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center, “40% of stalking victims are stalked by current or former intimate partners.” Melody’s Story Melody* is a survivor who’s been working with REACH for several years. She and her ex-partner share two children and had been together since high school. In addition to other forms of physical and emotional abuse, he displayed a ..read more

How your year-end gift makes a difference in countless ways. My name is Pam Jordan, and I am the Director of Community Advocacy at REACH Beyond Domestic Violence. I cannot begin to thank you enough for your ongoing support. You make it possible for REACH to help survivors transition from that first, brave call to our hotline, through safety planning and sometimes a stay in a shelter, to reclaiming their independence. I began working with a young mother and her 5-year-old son earlier this year. For their safety and privacy, I’ll call her Maya. When we first sat together for her intake, I remem ..read more

Lauren Nackel, Human Resources Manager, shares her thoughts and wisdom gained throughout ten years of service on behalf of of domestic abuse and violence survivors at REACH Beyond Domestic Violence. I recently celebrated my 10-year anniversary of working at REACH Beyond Domestic Violence. As I reflect on what this means, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude that I’ve had the unique privilege to work not only in this vitally important field, but alongside colleagues who inspire me each and every day. When I first walked through REACH’s doors in 2013 as a new Residential Advocate working ..read more

How to Protect Both Family & Community For most survivors, the idea of legacy giving is the last thing on their minds. Their focus is on safety planning for today, the rest of the week, and next month, then focusing on creating a life for themselves and their families that’s free from abuse. REACH Beyond Domestic Violence is here to help survivors on that journey. The countless survivors who have passed through our doors during the last 40 years are our legacy. The survivors we have yet to meet are our ongoing legacy. And one day, generations from now, we hope our work to eradicate dom ..read more

How to Protect Both Family & Community For most survivors, the idea of legacy is the last thing on their minds. Their focus is on safety planning for today, the rest of the week, and next month, then focusing on creating a life for themselves and their families that’s free from abuse. REACH Beyond Domestic Violence is here to help survivors on that journey. The countless survivors who have passed through our doors during the last 40 years are our legacy. The survivors we have yet to meet are our ongoing legacy. And one day, generations from now, we hope our work to eradicate domestic a ..read more

While we hope no one reading this blog will ever need to file a court order for protection,  everyone has the right to know this option is available. Here’s a quick overview of the process, but keep in mind that this is not intended as legal advice. Please speak to an attorney or a victim witness advocate (employed by the local district attorney’s office) if you would like clarification on the law. What is a restraining order (RO)? The purpose of the abuse prevention law (Chapter 209A) is to provide individuals with a layer of protection from their abusers. It allows survivors to ..read more