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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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August 2022: Safety Planning – Reducing Risk & Exploring Options
A safety plan is an essential tool for abuse victims to organize their thoughts and implement decisions for a better future. As discussed in last month’s blog post, “Why It’s Not Always Safe/Right to Leave an Abuser”, abusive relationships can be complicated, with...
July 2022: Why It’s Not Always Safe/Right to Leave an Abuser
It seems obvious from the outside: if you are in a relationship with an abusive partner, you should leave them immediately. While that may be the best course of action for some, there are many significant reasons why it is not always right and/or safe for victims to...
June 2022: LGBTQIA+ Domestic Abuse – Distinct Challenges & Barriers to Support
The stereotypical image of domestic violence is of a man hurting and controlling his female partner. While the majority of abusive relationships do fall into this demographic pattern, this is by no means the only dynamic in which abuse can occur. Abusers can be any...
May 2022: Listen & Believe – That’s All You Need to Do
Listening and believing may seem like small things, automatic or trivial. But to abuse victims, in particular, they make a huge difference. Simple as they sound, they may actually be more difficult that one might think. Various characteristics of abusers, societal...
April 2022: The Complexities of Consent
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (#SAAM). Check out DVSN’s blog post from April 2021 for an overview of what constitutes sexual assault, some worrying statistics, and the history of SAAM. This year, we want to talk about the one word at the epicenter of sexual...
March 2022: Learning Through Storytelling – What to Read & Watch About Domestic Violence
Domestic violence can be a difficult topic to talk about and to learn about. It’s distressing and can make us feel sad, angry, powerless, hurt. Taking in the multitude of facts and statistics can feel overwhelming and impersonal. Perhaps this even makes it easier to...
February 2022: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships
Abuse can be subtle and has so many different forms that it’s sometimes difficult to determine if a relationship is healthy or unhealthy. While no pairing is perfect all the time, there are distinct patterns of behavior that we can call out as abusive. Ultimately, it...
January 2022: Debunking Domestic Violence Myths & Misconceptions
With so much fear and shame surrounding domestic violence, it’s no wonder there is such a flood of misinformation about this issue. Traditionally kept behind closed doors, some conclusions drawn by society at large about domestic violence are wildly inaccurate. One...
December 2021: 10 Tips for Journalists Reporting on Intimate Partner Violence
Each year, DVSN holds a Candlelight Vigil to honor the Massachusetts lives lost to domestic violence in the previous 12 months. The keynote speaker at our 2021 Vigil was Tracy Schott, producer and director of the documentary film, “Finding Jenn’s Voice” and founder of...