Healthy Relationship Education Continues!

MAAV is grateful to our Melrose School partners for their continued support of our Healthy Relationship programming at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

January brought sessions with Hoover and Roosevelt 4th graders, where students explored the ingredients of a healthy friendship and what consent means, while deepening their understanding of what boundaries are and what upstander strategies can look like.

Onto Winthrop Elementary, MVMMS and MHS in February and March!

Are you the parent/caregiver of an elementary aged child? MAAV offers questions you can ask, and tips for talking with your child about healthy friendships.

Student Action Board is on Instagram!

Interested in the latest updates directly from MAAV's Student Action Board? If you're a social media person, we invite you to follow SAB on Instagram @melrosemaav_! Stay up to date on all the happenings and highlights, straight from SAB!

MAAV's Board is recruiting!

Do you have a passion for MAAV's mission to end the cycle of relational violence? Do you have skills, knowledge, and experience with prevention, intervention, education, finance, fundraising, or insurance, AND have a few volunteer hours a month to give? If yes, then we'd like to meet you !MAAV's volunteer board of directors is recruiting new members. Interested in learning more? Reach out to Executive Director Meredith Shaw at mshaw@maav.org

Workshop for Parents & Caregivers February 11th

Healthy Relationships for Teens

A Parent/Caregiver workshop

Wednesday, February 11th

7 - 9PM

Live via Zoom

February is Healthy Relationships/Teen Dating Violence Awareness month and we are happy to be collaborating with RESPOND, Inc., WAAV, SAAV and Pathways to Restorative Communities on this workshop!

Held live via Zoom. Register below to receive the Zoom link.

Save the Date! Voices Against Violence Community Coffeehouse

Sunday, March 22

4 - 6PM

Temple Beth Shalom, Melrose

This annual event is back for the 13th year, and generously supported by the Melrose and Massachusetts Cultural Councils! Join us to support our performing creatives or bring your own talents to the stage! If you are interested in performing, reach out to MAAV at info@maav.org for more information!





A Conversation About Domestic Violence

Tuesday, February 3

6 - 9PM

Babson College: Richard W. Sorenson Center for the Arts

Our agency partners, Second Step and REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, are collaborating with The Gabby Petito Foundation and Needham community partners for a conversation about domestic violence. More information about the event can be found here.





January is National Stalking Awareness Month

January marks a dedicated effort to raise awareness of what stalking is. It's abuse and it's a crime.

From the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence: "Stalking is a prevalent crime that often co-occurs with domestic violence. Stalking is a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that causes fear. Stalking can be an extension of power and control in an abusive relationship, and many abusers stalk their partners both during and after the relationship has ended."

See more information and resources below:

What to Do if You're Being Stalked

Safety Strategies for Stalking Victims

Supporting Loved Ones Experiencing Stalking

Helping Kids Feel Safe in Uncertain Times

Children and youth often face difficult challenges as they grow - both predictable and unpredictable. HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) framework leaders from Tufts Medical Center in Boston Dr. Robert Sege and Dr. Dina Burnstein, offer some tips for parents/caregivers to help their children build resilience and thriving through positive childhood experiences (PCEs) - even during challenging or uncertain times.