For far too many, domestic violence is a quiet storm. The violence rages behind closed doors, invisible to most of the outside world. It’s a pain that isolates, a trauma that whispers, No one will believe you. A convincing and strengthening fear repeating, You have nowhere to go. Survivors of domestic violence often carry the […]
Earlier this month, 18-year-old Kylee Monteiro went missing. She was 11 weeks pregnant. On August 19, her remains were discovered in Rehoboth. Police have charged her boyfriend, who just days before had been arraigned on charges including aggravated assault on a pregnant person and intimidation of a witness, with her murder. (Missing Rehoboth teen’s boyfriend […]
Domestic violence is a pervasive issue that affects individuals and families across all demographics. In Massachusetts, thousands of survivors, predominantly women and children, experience abuse in their homes each year. Leaving an abusive environment takes extraordinary strength and bravery. Recognizing the abuse and finding the courage to walk away is the first step in reclaiming […]
At The Second Step, every day we support survivors who are silenced, dismissed, or retraumatized by a system that often fails to recognize their truth. So, when we witness high-profile cases like the recent acquittal of Sean “Diddy” Combs on federal sex trafficking charges, we feel the need to say what many survivors cannot: a […]
A Message and Call to Action fromSusan Ross, CEO, The Second Step In just one week, two women in Massachusetts were killed by their intimate partners – one in Milton and one in Brockton. The Second Step extends its deepest sympathy to the families and friends who are grieving these profound losses. Murder by an […]
Over the next few months, we are excited to share with you the story of how The Second Step began, where we are now, and where we are headed. In 1987, four women gathered around a kitchen table, their minds focused on more than just sipping coffee. Nancy Douttiel, Lisa Giudice, Margaret Grometstein, and Ellen […]