This past year has proven to be an exceptional and historically challenging time. As the world continues to respond to the impact of both COVID-19 and the movement for racial justice, we are being called on to create and hold space for difficult and essential conversations about anti-racism and racial equity.

At the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, our mission is to empower individuals and engage communities to end domestic violence. To do that, we must become stronger allies to Black, Indigenous, and communities of color. Black women and women of color are disproportionately impacted by domestic violence. More than 40% of Black women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime; and sadly, Black women are almost 3x more likely to die at the hands of a current or ex-partner than members of other racial backgrounds. We are committed to fully understanding the barriers that exist for Black survivors so that we can work to remove them.

As a result of the global pandemic, there has been an escalation of abuse at record rates. High rates of unemployment, economic anxiety, and a sharp increase in gun sales have increased the risk and dangerousness of domestic violence. Social isolation and distancing have given many abusers more control and supervision over their partners, and often victims do not have the option of going somewhere else. The effects of COVID-19 will continue to impact those who are most vulnerable, even as life begins to look more “normal” for others.

We are here to help. Our priority remains to provide immediate crisis intervention and safety planning for survivors of domestic violence and their families at no cost to them. Since March, the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center quickly pivoted to expand and improve our technology to virtually offer critically important services to survivors, including advocacy, counseling, legal assistance and support groups, in addition to our 24/7 confidential hotline. Our volunteers are working virtually and creatively to help, from providing hotline support to tutoring children of survivors, helping alleviate stress.

We were able to continue our Girls Inc. of the Seacoast Area programming virtually at the end of the school year, and through a carefully planned in-person summer program. Through this expansion of technology and offering remote services, we have learned valuable lessons of accessibility and how to reach those who aren’t able to seek help in-person.

Our commitment to keep the domestic violence conversation at the forefront remains as strong as when we began our work with survivors and their families some thirty-nine years ago. Since 1982, we’ve made significant inroads but as long as there are people living with fear and abuse from an intimate partner or family member, there is still much for us to do.

As we continue this life-saving work, we pause to reflect on the past year and the lessons we have learned and look forward with renewed commitment and hope to what can be accomplished in the year ahead. Your support has made this possible, and you have my sincere gratitude for continuing to partner with us to end domestic violence.

Thank you, on behalf of all of us at the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center,

Suzanne C. Dubus
Chief Executive Officer