Holyoke, MA — For over 40 years, Womenshelter/Compañeras has worked tirelessly to empower women and their children to live independently and free from domestic violence by providing prevention education, crisis intervention, a safe and confidential shelter, social and legal advocacy, housing, and related support services.
On February 25th at 4 PM, Womanshelter’s Executive Director, Carmen Nieves, will host Amy Waldman, Co-Director of Capacity Building and Equity Programs at the Department of Public Health, and Quynh Dang Program Director at the Department of Public Health, to discuss their study, “Rates of Femicide in Women of Different Races, Ethnicities, and Places of Birth” a dataset collected in Massachusetts between 1993-2007.
The data that surrounds this community issue is startling. “Women of color may be less likely to report domestic violence abuse or seek help because of discrimination, negative stereotyping, or fear of law enforcement’s response,” says Nieves.
Following the presentation, our speakers will delve into what this data says about Western Mass-specific homicide rates and what makes our area distinctive. We will end the roundtable with a Q&A where participants can discuss how the data can inform community-based services and practices. Domestic violence not only affects women and children. Womanshelter also serves men and extended family members through its community-based programs. There are now specialized services for domestic violence survivors over the age of 50, for those with mental or physical challenges, and for teens and young adults who need support navigating dating and intimate partner relationships.
In 2020, Womanshelter/Compañeras provided services to 3,246 participants, the majority of whom identified as female (82%).
Womanshelter/Compañeras is dedicated to assisting, supporting, and empowering those whose lives are affected by battering and abuse. Founded in 1980 as a grassroots collective, the organization has sheltered more than 3,000 women and children and assisted 35,000 others through community-based support programs.
You may register here. For more information, contact Pamela Barnes, pbarnes@womanshelter.org or call 413.438.1717.
