RESPOND’s Mission
RESPOND partners with individuals, families and communities to end the serious public health issue of domestic violence. RESPOND strives to achieve its mission through prevention, intervention and education services that promote safe, healthy relationships and housing solutions.
RESPOND’s History
RESPOND was New England’s first domestic violence agency and one of the nation’s first organizations dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence. As a founding leader in the movement to end domestic violence, RESPOND has spent more than 50 years partnering with survivors, strengthening communities, and advancing innovative approaches to safety and support.
RESPOND’s story began in the early 1970s, at a time when domestic violence was largely hidden from public view and few resources existed for survivors seeking safety. Long before shelters, crisis lines, and coordinated community responses became common, four women from Somerville, Massachusetts recognized the urgent need for change. They opened their own homes to women and children fleeing abuse, creating a grassroots network of safety, compassion, and hope. In 1974, those “founding mothers” formally established RESPOND, transforming a small volunteer effort into one of the nation’s first domestic violence organizations. Their vision helped change the way communities responded to domestic violence by demonstrating that survivors deserved safety, support, and a community willing to stand beside them.
Over the past five decades, RESPOND has continued to lead through innovation and collaboration. From emergency shelter and counseling to crisis support, coordinated community response, prevention education, and safe housing solutions, RESPOND has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of survivors while helping shape best practices throughout the field.
Today, RESPOND partners with thousands of survivors each year, providing comprehensive services that promote safety, healing, stability, and hope. While our programs have expanded over the decades, our mission remains unchanged: to partner with individuals, families, and communities to end domestic violence through prevention, intervention, education, and safe housing solutions.
