Education/Prevention

Help is on the way for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Nearly one in six Massachusetts women has experienced rape or sexual assault in their lifetime. That’s why Governor Charlie Baker is re-launching a council to tackle sexual assault and domestic violence in the state. The group will focus on implementing the law […]

The YWCA of Western Massachusetts has received a substantial grant to fight domestic violence and sexual abuse. The nearly $1 million dollar grant comes from the U.S. Department of Justice. It will be distributed over a three year period. “It focuses on victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking,” says Mary Reardon […]

A 23-year-old Hartford CT man was sentenced to 22 years in prison and eight years of special parole after pleading guilty as part of a plea agreement to first-degree sexual assault, two counts of first-degree robbery and attempted burglary. Christopher Mankins admitted robbing the same Heath Street grocery store twice in three days, and admitted […]

A group of Harvard professors has condemned the University’s new policies on sexual assault, saying it violates the rights of the accused. You can read about it here.

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has proposed a plan to create a separate Child Protection Division within the Department of Children and Families (DCF). This new division would be empowered to investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect with a sole focus on the safety of the child or children involved. Coakley, who as former […]

The City of Salem will hold training on how to protect children from sexual abuse. Children’s Trust Fund, a Boston-based organization that aims to eliminate child abuse in Massachusetts, is leading the free “Keeping Kids Safe” prevention program, which will be held this coming Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the YMCA of the […]

A groundbreaking telemedicine initiative launching in Massachusetts aims to help health providers improve assistance to victims of sexual assault. Earlier this year then-Lieutenant Gov. Timothy Murray announced $3.3 million in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, which will be used over three years to create the Massachusetts Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) […]

The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is encouraging parents and guardians to learn more about child sexual abuse with a new publication, Protecting Your Child from Sexual Abuse, a collaborative effort with Massachusetts Citizens for Children (MCC). As reports of child sexual abuse increase at Massachusetts schools and with the Penn State and church pedophile scandals […]

Good piece in the NY Times about rape on college campuses and how Amherst College is making changes in light of a recent newspaper article by a rape victim.

Child advocates and prosecutors in Middlesex County have revamped an online training program designed to help people who work with children to recognize and report suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation, according to boston.com. The Middlesex Children’s Advocacy Center collaborated with the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office to redesign the training program, which was first launched by […]

Massachusetts Citizens for Children, also known as Mass Kids, a Boston-based nonprofit that advocates for the welfare of children, announced that it recently received an $80,000 grant from the Ms. Foundation for Women to fund a campaign that aims to end child sexual abuse. Massachusetts Citizens for Children (MCC) is the lead agency for the […]