DVSN
Blog
Check in monthly for updates on DVSN programs, services, & events. Plus, information & commentary about domestic violence issues, news, and related subjects.
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July/August 2026: A Profile of Jacquelin Apsler – Two Decades of Drive, Collaboration, Open-Mindedness, & Humor
NOTE: This post differs from DVSN’s normal blog content in several ways. It is an extensive exploration of both professional accomplishments and quite personal details in the life of DVSN’s Executive Director, Jacquelin Apsler, who only agreed to this profile if it...
June 2026: The Detrimental Family Legacy of Intergenerational Abuse & Strategies for Disrupting the Cycle
The term “cycle of abuse” is often used to describe two different patterns or models that commonly occur in situations of domestic violence. The first, and probably most frequent, use of the term describes the “circular” cycle of phases in the dynamics between an...
May 2026: Beyond Survival – Perspectives on Self-Care from DVSN’s Support Group Facilitator
Self-care is a popular term often associated with directing energy towards one’s own wellbeing and health, but the reality is that it can encompass as many different meanings as there are people who practice it. In the turbulence of life, it is natural to experience...
April 2026: The Complexities of Marital Rape – Laws, Perspectives, & Effects
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault is a particularly violating and traumatizing form of abuse. While sexual assault can take many forms, the term has come to be almost synonymous in some contexts with rape. While the common cultural image of rape...
March 2026: Abuser Archetypes: Categorizing Common Patterns
Domestic violence is universal. Anyone, regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, race, socio-economic status, or culture can be a victim or an abuser. While abuse, at its core, is about power and control, there are many different ways this can...
February 2026: Teen Dating Abuse 101
From child abuse to elder abuse, people of any age can experience domestic violence. When it comes to abuse by a romantic partner, one particularly vulnerable demographic is teenagers. People often have their first relationship around this stage of life, while they...
January 2026: A Deepening Understanding – New Staff Member Reflects on DVSN’s Advocate Training
DVSN provides a variety of programs and services, from direct services to clients to community outreach and education programs. One that serves both of those categories is our Volunteer Advocate Training. Typically held twice a year, this 40-hour intensive training...
December 2025: Courthouse Victim Safe Waiting Rooms – Importance & Impact
Going to court for any reason can be daunting. For victims who may have to see their abuser or speak about their abuse in court, it can be even more so. DVSN has trained Court Support Advocates that can accompany clients to court to help them understand what is going...
November 2025: Bodily Harm & Beyond – The Complexities of Physical Abuse
Upon hearing the term “domestic violence”, what first comes to most people’s minds is physical abuse. In fact, until MA Bill H.4744 added coercive control in September 2024, Massachusetts’ legal definition of domestic violence focused exclusively on physical abuse and...