While these topics can make us want to scroll past - because they are indeed difficult - if we become more aware, we can strengthen our community. There are only six words in the SAAM theme for this year, and the word WE is two of them!

Anyone can be a victim of sexual violence (SV), and people who commit sexual abuse, assault, and harassment exist in all of our communities. Sexual violence is an umbrella term that includes any type of unwanted sexual contact, including sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. https://www.nsvrc.org/saam/about-2025  

Forms of sexual violence include:

• Rape or sexual assault
• Sexual harassment
• Sexual abuse
• Unwanted sexual contact or touching
• Sexual exploitation and trafficking
• Exposing one’s genitals or naked body to others without consent
• Nonconsensual image sharing and/or coercion (including AI-generated imagery) 
• Words and actions of a sexual nature against a person’s will and without their consent

Based on nationally representative data, over 53% of women and over 29% of men reported experiencing contact SV in their lifetime. (Chen, et al., 2023) This is an urgent public health problem because it is both very common and takes a toll on survivors’ mental and physical health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), for females, this includes fatal outcomes (homicide and suicide), injuries, unintended pregnancies, induced abortions, gynecological problems, sexually transmitted infections, depression, post-traumatic stress and other anxiety disorders, sleep difficulties, eating disorders, headaches, pain syndromes (back pain, abdominal pain, chronic pelvic pain) gastrointestinal disorders, limited mobility and poor overall health. Male victims had higher odds than nonvictims of having HIV/AIDS, frequent headache, chronic pain, difficulty sleeping, serious difficulty hearing, and difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. (Basile, 2024)

There is also a notable intersection between SV and human trafficking. According to the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking, there are multiple facts to be aware of. For example, the State Department’s 2021 Trafficking in Persons report identifies “intimate partner violence or domestic violence” as factors that increase an individual’s vulnerability to human trafficking. The vast majority of human trafficking survivors experience multiple forms of abuse, such as domestic violence and sexual assault. Locally, our rural communities are impacted by the existence of two main traffic routes, Interstate 91 and Route 2, that provide easier access for both drugs and sex trafficking. We have the lowest average wage per job in MA since 2000, which creates a market to trade sex acts to meet needs like food, housing, and drugs. And we have above-average incidents of child abuse and neglect.

The adult experience of SV is often connected with a history of early childhood trauma, generational grooming in families, and intergenerational trauma. According to World Without Exploitation, the majority of women and girls who are survivors of sex trafficking are survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Therefore, prevention of child abuse is critical. 

This year’s Child Abuse Prevention Month theme, “Powered by Hope, Strengthened by Prevention,” reminds us that stronger families create healthier communities — support and empowerment are the keys to making that vision a reality. 

Flag raising ceremonies are happening this month throughout Western Massachusetts. Below are two in our communities: 

• Friday, April 11th @ 9:30 AM in front of the Athol Library, 568 Main St, Athol
• Friday, April 18th @ 11 AM on the Greenfield Common followed by a coffee reception at the Greenfield Library, 412 Main St, Greenfield

On behalf of children and adults experiencing sexual violence, abuse, exploitation, and trafficking, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Opioid Task Force, along with our community partners, created the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Workgroup. 

By way of some history, the SET Workgroup started in 2019 when it was identified that nearly all of the women in the Franklin County House of Correction (HOC) had experienced SET, and many were there on drug-related charges. We held an inaugural SET conference in October 2019, with experts and survivors, with over 200 people in attendance, indicating the importance of this public health problem in our community. 

The work has continually progressed and in 2025 alone, SET Workgroup members launched the SPIRIT Program for incarcerated women at the Franklin County HOC, created public awareness about available SET resources as part of the national January Human Trafficking Prevention Month, held a webinar on "Substance Use Disorder, Sexual Exploitation & Trafficking: Current Research & Trends with Dr. Abigail Judge, and presented to the Massachusetts Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking about SET impact in rural areas. Later this month, the Opioid Task Force’s CONNECT Training Series will include a presentation about SET in our rural community. All are welcome, and we invite you to register here. 

The impact of SV across a survivor’s lifetime is why this work involves an array of partners, showing that WE as a community are committed to the prevention of sexual assault, child abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. Our partners include organizations specializing in domestic violence services; mental, emotional, and physical health care; human services; child welfare; harm reduction; substance misuse prevention coalitions and task forces; and the courts, law enforcement, the District Attorney, and the Sheriff's offices. More importantly, the insights and experiences of survivors and their family members are at the heart of what we do.

Please access our local resources serving Franklin County and the North Quabbin region for children and adults here. Briefly, they include: Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region located in Greenfield, The New England Learning Center for Women in Transition (NELCWIT) in Greenfield and Orange, the Salasin Project in Greenfield, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Greenfield, and The Heartwing Project in Turners Falls.

“Together, we act with purpose! United, we have the power to change the world for the better.” SAAM 2025

Sincerely,

Karen Carmona, Program Associate

Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and North Quabbin

UPCOMING EVENTS

See what's happening at OTF this month.

COVID-19 RESOURCES

Explore OTF's COVID-19 Resource Guide.

MASSACHUSETTS SUBSTANCE USE HELPLINE

Hope is here. Get help.

413Cares

Resources for Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region. Click here.

NQCC'S Newsletter

Resources and upcoming events in the North Quabbin Region.

Click here.

CONNECTIONS #88

Find local resources in this issue.

NEED NARCAN?

Click here to email for Narcan.

Emergency Services Resources for Unhoused Individuals

Click here.

The PACES CONNECTION

Click here for resources

Grayken Center for Addiction Training & Technical Assistance

Click here to view and/or register for trainings.

GCC Community Engagement and Workshop Events

Click here to view and/or register for trainings.

Rural SUD Info Center

Click here for resources.

UPCOMING OTF COMMITTEE & WORKGROUP MEETINGS

FEATURED EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

MONTHLY WORKSHOP CALENDRS AND WEEKLY STANDING MEETINGS/EVENTS

Franklin County Reentry Center

Always Open! Community Labyrinth in Greenfield

All Recovery Meeting at The RECOVER Project

Mondays Art Guild Meetings

Second Mondays - North Quabbin B.R.R.A.V.V.E. Task Force Meeting

Tuesdays Peer-Led Grief and Loss Circle

First Tuesday - Dads' Group

Tuesdays Drop-In Knitting & Sewing Sessions

Wednesdays HEROES Study Hub at GCC

First & Third Thursdays Parent Support Group

Thursdays Coffee Hour at the Brick House

Thursdays Beyond Trauma Group in Spanish

Below is a link to the open positions listed for Greenfield:

https://careers.baymark.com/search/health-care-resource-centers/jobs/in/greenfield-ma-massachusetts

In February, FCRN partnered with The United Arc and the Offices of Representative Natalie Blais and Congressman Jim McGovern to host representatives from the Social Security Administration, the Department of Children and Families, and the Child Advocate for the Commonwealth Maria Mossaides for a discussion with grandparents raising grandchildren in Franklin County.

Below please find more information about programs covered at the event, as well as some key links and contact information for the representatives for state and federal agencies and legislative offices that were present.

Office of the Child Advocate: The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is an independent executive branch agency with oversight and ombudsperson responsibilities, established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2008.

The best way to get in touch with the OCA is through the Complaint Line: https://www.mass.gov/guides/oca-complaint-line 

Maria Mossaides, Child Advocate

Department of Children and Families

Regional DCF team:

• Laurie Sullivan, (DCF Western Regional Director) laurie.sullivan@mass.gov 
• Paula Teixeira, (DCF Greenfield Area Office) paula.teixeira@mass.gov 

DCF’s Kinship Navigator : Kinship Navigator is a program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that assists all kinship caregivers (grandparents and other relatives) with accessing services for themselves and the children they are raising.

Kinshipnavigator@mass.gov   1(844) 924-4KIN   Online referral: https://formstack.io/CF361 

Jennifer Kitchenham, Jennifer.S.Kitchenham@mass.gov 

Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: The purpose of this Commission is to be a resource to the Commonwealth on issues affecting grandparents raising grandchildren, and relatives, other than parents, raising kin.

On July 8, 2008, the Child Advocate bill was signed into law which included the establishment of the Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. This legislation calls for a permanent commission on the status of grandparents raising grandchildren which consists of 15 individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to grandparents.

617-748-2454           massgrg@mass.gov         Colleen Pritoni, colleen.pritoni@mass.gov 

Family Resource Centers: Supported by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Department of Children and Families, a Family Resource Center is located in each of the 14 Massachusetts counties. There are currently 33 FRCs.

Here are some of the ways FRCs help families:

• Bring people together for friendship and mutual support
• Strengthen parenting skills
• Respond to family crises
• Link families to services and opportunities
• Help children develop social and emotional skills
• Observe and respond to early warning signs of child abuse and neglect
• Value and support parents

Community Action Family Center  90, Federal Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 (413) 475-1555

Jolanta Rumierz, jolanta.rumierz@mass.gov 

Social Security Administration - Boston Region Office 

• https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ 
• A full FAQ page is available here: https://www.ssa.gov/faqs/en/ 
• More information about scheduling an appointment with SSA can be found here: https://www.ssa.gov/faqs/en/questions/KA-02771.html 

SSA representatives in Boston office: 

• Kevin Reino (Senior Public Affairs Specialist) bos.rcd@ssa.gov
• Sabrina Feliciano (Public Affairs Specialist) Sabrina.Feliciano@ssa.gov 

Federation for Children with Special Needs

Caregiver to Caregiver Respite Network: https://fcsn.org/c2c/ 

Mary-Beth Landy, Senior Trainer & Family Engagement Manager,  mlandy@fcsn.org 

Below is the information for all of the legislative offices that were present: 

Senator Comerford’s office

• Senator Comerford (jo.comerford@masenate.gov) 
• Elena Cohen (elena.cohen@masenate.gov)
• Jessie Cooley (jessie.cooley@masenate.gov) 

Representative Blais’s office

• Representative Blais (natalie.blais@mahouse.gov) 
• Corinne Coryat (corinne.coryat@mahouse.gov)

Congressman McGovern’s office

• Koby Gardner-Levine (Koby.Gardner-Levine@mail.house.gov) 

Kinship Navigator Brochure

Foster Parent Flyer

Adoption Journeys Brochure

UMASS Brochure - Family Resources Center

Kid's Net Brochure

Mental Health Advocacy Program - FAQs

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Resources

Free English Classes

Free Meals and Essentials at Saints James and Andrews Parish Hall

Come Cook with Franklin County Community Meals Program

Family Self-Sufficiency Program Available

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program

Eviction Self-Help Booklets Available in Multiple Languages