REACH Beyond Domestic Violence

REACH Beyond Domestic Violence is a non-profit organization providing safety and support to survivors of abuse while engaging communities to promote healthy relationships and prevent domestic violence. <br><br>Our name, REACH (Refuge, Education, Advocacy, Change) reflects our commitment to providing individuals and communities with the resources and tools necessary to heal from abuse and prevent future violence.

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As part of our DEI work at the agency, we hosted a 2-day training for the entire staff on "Privilege and Oppression". The objectives for this training included: 1. Increase awareness and understanding of privilege and oppression and their impact on individuals and society as a whole. 2. Create awareness of the connections between oppression and domestic violence. 3. Foster empathy and perspective-taking towards staff and survivors from different backgrounds. 4. Nurture skills for navigating relationships through an anti-oppressive lens. It is important for each of us to understand the systems in place and how they effect us and the survivors we support.

REACH is part of Jane Doe, Inc., The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence that works in tandem with all the domestic and sexual violence agencies across the state, changing the way society views and reacts to sexual and domestic violence, finding ways that make our communities safer today and for future generations. With these sister organizations, REACH advocates on many priorities at the state and federal levels to create policies and explore innovative solutions that improve the lives of survivors.

In 2022, our Executive Director for the last 18 years, Laura Van Zandt, made the decision to step away from her role at the organization at the beginning in 2023. The board engaged a national search firm to find our next leader to lead REACH into the future. With the amazing work of the search firm, the board, and the staff, we hired our new Executive Director, Amarely Gutierrez Oliver, who started in March 2023. Amarely has a breadth of experience in the domestic violence space, working to building more equitable organizations, advocating for social change, and promoting innovation. We are so grateful to have Amarely at the helm for the next chapter of REACH.