The Second Step

All people have a right to safety and dignity in relationships. The Second Step is dedicated to adult and child survivors of domestic violence. Responding to each family's strengths and values, we partner to enhance supportive community and identify pathways to physical and emotional healing, housing, and financial security. We work at the individual, community and societal levels to end domestic violence.

Description:
he Second Step offers a multitude of services and resources to empower survivors of domestic violence to heal from trauma, to forge relationships that create a community of support, to secure affordable housing, and to move toward financial security. These services include, among other things, transitional housing, case management, financial advocacy, emergency financial resources, legal advocacy, a mentoring program, assistance in setting up new housing, and children's services including a Therapeutic Afterschool Program for residents.

History:
The Second Step was founded in 1992 by four women with the dream of creating a new kind of program for survivors of domestic violence. They saw that all too often women returned to their abusers because they lacked viable options. Together these four women formed a vision of a transitional living program designed give survivors more time, more services, more choices and in particular to find safe, long-term affordable housing and to gain economic self-reliance. The first residence opened in 1992, followed by a second residence in 2002. In 1996 a Therapeutic After-school Program was developed to meet the specific needs of the children of residents. A major grant from the Department of Justice in 2006 allowed The Second Step to formalize its Community Program to reach out to domestic violence survivors who do not need transitional housing but do need other services and resources.

Contact people:

Joan Tepper, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) Roberta Rosenberg, Executive Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (617) 965-3354

Address:

P.O. Box 600213 Newtonville, MA 02460

Web Site: http://www.thesecondstep.org

Last updated on August 25, 2009