Massachusetts

A New Day (formerly Womansplace Crisis Center) is a program of Health Care of Southeastern Massachusetts. A New Day provides a range of services for survivors of sexual abuse who are women, men, children, teens, and elders in Plymouth County, as well as support to non-offending parents and family members. A New Day offers the following free and confidential services: 24-hour crisis intervention hotline; hospital accompaniment; assistance with obtaining restraining orders; individual counseling; and group counseling, including a sexual assault survivors’ support group. Services are provided in English, Spanish, and Cape Verdean Creole.

AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, Inc. (AAC), New England’s first and largest AIDS organization, is dedicated to stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS by preventing new infections and optimizing the health of those already infected. AAC provides free confidential services to men and women already living with HIV/AIDS in the Boston area, as well as conducts extensive educational and prevention outreach to those at risk of infection. AAC runs the only statewide AIDS Hotline, Hepatitis Hotline, and Pharmacy Access Hotline. All Hotlines offer support in Spanish and in English. Free and confidential rapid HIV testing and counseling is available at AAC’s downtown Boston location and at its MALE Center in Boston’s South End neighborhood.

AAC’s client services include: advocacy; legal services; transportation; rental assistance; support groups; counseling; residential housing services; HIV treatment information; clothing vouchers; and free tickets to shows. AAC also operates the HIV Health Library and provides information, support, and referrals for HIV+ prisoners throughout Massachusetts by mail or by phone. AAC also produced a unique booklet for HIV+ women, “A Guide On the Inside,” which covers taking medication, confidentiality, side effects, and a host of other topics. Prisoners can write or call AAC directly for a copy of this booklet or for information and support. All AAC client services are free and confidential.

The Violence Recovery Program (VRP) at Fenway Community Health provides counseling, support groups, advocacy, and referral services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender survivors of hate crimes, domestic violence, sexual assault, and police misconduct. Survivors can contact the VRP via the toll-free hotline or by mail. All services are free and confidential.

Jane Doe Inc. (JDI)/The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence brings together organizations and people committed to ending domestic violence and sexual assault in Massachusetts. JDI advocates for responsive public policy, promotes collaboration, raises public awareness, and supports member organizations to provide comprehensive prevention and intervention services. JDI’s member organizations include nearly 60 community-based sexual assault and domestic violence service and advocacy programs in Massachusetts that provide direct services for survivors of this kind of violence. JDI does not provide direct services, but can offer information and referrals to survivors and their loved ones.

New Hope, Inc. is a non-profit social service agency that works to strengthen individuals and families by ending domestic violence and sexual assault. New Hope has five office locations and two outreach sites in Southeast and Central Massachusetts. Rape crisis services are offered for survivors of sexual violence and their significant others. New Hope offers the following services to survivors of sexual assault behind bars during their incarceration: crisis intervention and support on the hotline or by mail and accompaniment to forensic medical exams at local hospitals. After their release, survivors are eligible for individual and group counseling and other in-person client services, such as support groups. All services are free and confidential.

The Rape Crisis Center of Central Massachusetts (RCCCM ) provides comprehensive services to survivors and their family and friends who are affected by rape, incest, and all forms of sexual assault in Central Massachusetts. RCCCM offers the following services: 24-hour hotline in English and Spanish; crisis intervention; individual counseling for survivors, family members, and friends; support groups and counseling for adolescent and adult female or male survivors of sexual abuse; and accompaniment, support, information, and referrals through the medical, police, and criminal justice systems. Services are offered in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language for adolescent and adult survivors as well as the family, partners, and friends who care about them. Certified interpreters may also be available for other language needs. All services are free and confidential.

La Línea de Ayuda Acerca del Abuso Sexual en español provee consejería telefónica, intervención en la crisis, referidos, y consultas para aquellos que han sido impactados por el asalto sexual. Consejeras bilingües y biculturales son disponibles de lunes a sábado de 9am-5pm. Todos los servicios son gratuitos y confidenciales.

The Rape Crisis Center of Central Massachusetts (RCCCM ) provides comprehensive services to survivors and their family and friends who are affected by rape, incest, and all forms of sexual assault in Central Massachusetts. RCCCM offers the following services: 24-hour hotline in English and Spanish; crisis intervention; individual counseling for survivors, family members, and friends; support groups and counseling for adolescent and adult female or male survivors of sexual abuse; and accompaniment, support, information, and referrals through the medical, police, and criminal justice systems. Services are offered in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language for adolescent and adult survivors as well as the family, partners, and friends who care about them. Certified interpreters may also be available for other language needs. All services are free and confidential.

La Línea de Ayuda Acerca del Abuso Sexual en español provee consejería telefónica, intervención en la crisis, referidos, y consultas para aquellos que han sido impactados por el asalto sexual. Consejeras bilingües y biculturales son disponibles de lunes a sábado de 9am-5pm. Todos los servicios son gratuitos y confidenciales.

Span, Inc. is a private non-profit agency that specializes in services for people who have been in prison. Span offers services for prisoners who are HIV+ as well as for those who are not. Span generally works with HIV+ clients 3 to 6 months prior to their release from prison in order to develop reintegration plans. Span offers the following services for individuals after their release from prison: case management; substance abuse counseling; relapse prevention groups; HIV and other support groups; transitional housing; housing search services; and other referrals as needed. All Span services are free.

The Network/La Red provides free and confidential services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) survivors of abuse, including domestic violence and sexual assault. The Network/La Red also offers information and support to friends, family or co-workers on the issue of domestic violence in the LGBT community. Services include: 24-hour hotline; supportive counseling; medical and personal advocacy; court accompaniment; support groups; and information, referrals, and assistance getting other social, legal, medical, and housing services. The Network/La Red can provide support and information to survivors behind bars by mail, phone, or email and can offer in-person support services post-release. All services are bilingual (English/Spanish), as well as TTY and wheelchair accessible.

The Network/La Red provee servicios gratuitos y confidenciales para las lesbianas, los gays, los bisexuales, y la gente transgénera (LGBT) quienes habían sido maltratados por la violencia doméstica o el abuso sexual. The Network/La Red también ofrece información y apoyo a los familiares, los amigos, y los compañeros de trabajo acerca del tema de violencia doméstica en la comunidad LGBT. Los servicios incluyen: una línea de crisis; la consejería, el programa de abogacía y acompañamiento al corte; grupos de apoyo; e información, referidos, y ayuda en el contactar de otros servicios sociales, legales, medicales, y residenciales. The Nework/La Red puede proveer apoyo e información a sobrevivientes de abuse sexual tras las rejas por el correo, el teléfono, y el correo electrónico y puede ofrecer servicios cara-a-cara después del encarcelamiento. Todos los servicios son bilingües y accesibles por TTY y por sillas de ruedas.

The Women’s Center provides free and confidential 24-hour services to women, men, and children who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fall River, Fairhaven, Freetown, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Rochester, Somerset, Swansea, Wareham, and Westport. Services for survivors of sexual abuse include: 24-hour hotline; crisis intervention in multiple languages; individual and group counseling; legal advocacy; medical advocacy at Southcast Hospital (Charlton, St. Luke’s and Tobey) and St. Anne’s Hospital emergency rooms; and other support services, including referrals. The Women’s Center provides on-site counseling and support groups at the Women’s division at The Bristol County House of Correction. Survivors of sexual abuse behind bars can contact The Women’s Center by mail or via the 24-hour hotline for information and support. Spanish & Portuguese bilingual support is available. Se ofrecen los servicios en español y portugués. All services are free and confidential.

Voices Against Violence provides free and confidential services to victims of domestic/partner violence, sexual assault, and rape in the Metrowest area. Services are provided in English, Spanish, and Portuguese and are available to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Services include: a 24-hour hotline; crisis intervention; supportive counseling and support groups; information and referrals; and medical, legal, and criminal justice advocacy.

The YWCA’s Sexual Assault & Rape Crisis Program serves women, men, and teens aged 13 or older who live in the communities of Andover, Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen, Merrimac, North Andover and North Reading. Services include: a 24-hour confidential hotline offering support for survivors of rape, sexual assault or incest; accompaniment to the doctor’s office, emergency room, police or courts; individual and group counseling for survivors and their families or significant others; and referrals to professional therapists, substance abuse treatment programs, lawyers, health providers or other supportive professionals. All services are free, available 24-hours a day, and confidential.

The YWCA of Western Massachusetts has been providing services for survivors of battering and sexual assault and their children in the greater Springfield area since 1978. Services include: 24-hour hotline; individual and group counseling; and medical, legal, and police advocacy for survivors of sexual assault behind bars. All services are free and confidential.

The Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General is a state watchdog agency. The Office has a broad mandate to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse in government. The Office conducts operational and management reviews, analyzes legislation and regulations, provides technical assistance, and conducts civil and criminal investigations. The Office has established a confidential toll-free hotline number and invites calls to report suspected fraud, waste, and abuse in government. Inmates who have been sexually assaulted in a Massachusetts Department of Correction facility can contact the Office of the Inspector General by writing to the address above to report the assault and any concerns regarding the handling of investigations into such abuse. It is the Office’s practice to maintain the names of complainants in confidence. You may provide information anonymously.

Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services (MCLS) is the only statewide legal services office dedicated to providing civil legal assistance to indigent people incarcerated in Massachusetts prisons and jails. Founded in 1972, MCLS has helped thousands of prisoners through both informal advocacy and civil litigation in state and federal courts.