Boston - On December 12, 2024, the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking (GCSADVHT) released its first Biennial Report of the Healey-Driscoll Administration highlighting accomplishments from January 2022-2024 and outlining recommendations for the next two years.  

“These recommendations will help us enhance public safety, prevent these horrible crimes, and support survivors,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I look forward to reviewing the recommendations and am deeply grateful for the hard work of this Council, including Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Executive Director Vilma Uribe, to protect the safety and wellbeing of the people of Massachusetts.” 

“As Chair, I’ve worked closely with the advocates and experts on the Council to prevent and address sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Chair of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking. “This report and these recommendations are informed by their collective expertise and offer concrete, actionable solutions that can improve outcomes for survivors. Through this work, we are reminded that behind every statistic is a human story — a life forever altered by violence and exploitation. This report serves as an opportunity to directly impact those stories.” 

The report details the Council’s accomplishments and initiatives over the last two years and provides a series of recommendations to help inform the next two years of the Council’s work. Those recommendations align with the Council’s six subcommittees – Assessment and Response; Early Interventions; Economic Mobility; Housing Stability; Human Trafficking; and Veterans, Military, and Families. These recommendations are meant to advise the Governor on how to help residents of the state live a life free of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking by improving prevention for all, enhancing support for affected individuals and families, and insisting on accountability for perpetrators. 

“I am incredibly grateful to work alongside dedicated advocates who are committed to improving the lives of those affected by domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking. The recommendations in the report address some of the most pressing needs of survivors, as identified by both survivors and advocates throughout the state. We hope that these recommendations drive meaningful change in the lives of those impacted by gender-based violence,” said Executive Director of the GCSADVHT Vilma Uribe.  

Over the last two years, the Council has launched several initiatives focused on improving the lives of survivors in Massachusetts and has supported legislative action aimed at supporting survivors and strengthening protections. These accomplishments include: 

- Roundtables: The Council has facilitated roundtable discussions with advocates, experts and community leaders across the state about how to better serve and support survivors. These roundtables centered stories from those with lived experience and featured discussions with key stakeholders on how Massachusetts can continue to be a partner on this work. The Council hosted four roundtables in 2024: Survivor Listening Session, Immigrant and New Arrival Communities Roundtable, Campus Sexual Assault Law/Title IX 5th Anniversary Roundtable and LGBTQIA+ Communities Roundtable.

- Human Trafficking Prevention and Response: The Council led the development of a comprehensive statewide plan on Massachusetts' approach to addressing sex trafficking. In collaboration with the Attorney General's Human Trafficking Taskforce, the plan aims to strengthen the state's capacity to identify and address sex trafficking cases while ensuring survivors receive the necessary resources and support for recovery.

- Law Enforcement Guidelines Update: Beginning in March 2024, the Council launched a comprehensive update to the Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Guidelines, representing a critical shift in how law enforcement responds to domestic violence cases. The revised guidelines aim to improve officer response, risk assessment, and coordination with victim service providers. Particular attention was given to cultural competency, language access, and the unique needs of marginalized communities. The update process involved input from a diverse group of stakeholders to ensure an effective, inclusive approach.

- RESPECTfully Campaign Expansion: In 2024, the RESPECTfully Campaign entered a new phase, expanding its focus to include healthy relationship breakups—both platonic and romantic. This public education initiative primarily targets Massachusetts youth ages 12-18, with secondary audiences including youth-serving organizations, parents, caregivers, and educational institutions. The RESPECTFully Subcommittee convened providers working directly with youth and a youth advisory committee to inform and develop the campaign.   

Informed by their continuous work in the community and consulting with experts, advocates and researchers, the Council has released the following recommendations for policy and practice improvements over the next two years, addressing the complex needs of those affected by sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking in Massachusetts: 

- Assessment and Response: The Subcommittee recommends ways to improve criminal justice and community-based responses to address and reduce domestic violence by increasing referrals to Intimate Partner Abuse Education Programs and improving the practices of domestic violence high-risk teams.

- Early Intervention Subcommittee: The Subcommittee recommends solutions meant to increase safety and well-being for children and families, emphasizing evidence-based, trauma-informed referrals to services and treatment within all communities. Those recommendations include additional training programs and improved workforce pipeline for Behavioral Health and Education Professionals, establishing a youth trauma care advisory committee with clinical experts, and implementing inclusive healthy relationship education in schools.

- Economic Mobility: The Subcommittee focuses on finding ways to increase the economic success of victims and survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, and trafficking by increasing awareness of and access to available resources in a trauma-informed way. Their recommendations include integrating lived experiences and survivor stories into benefits cliff analysis and research, including survivors as a priority population for MassMobility, and improving workforce access for survivors.

- Housing Stability:?The Subcommittee aims to develop creative housing, housing stability, and homelessness prevention strategies for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking (SADVHT). Their recommendations include expanding the training opportunities available to advocates (on housing) and housing providers (on SADVHT), expanding housing resources available to survivors, and changing state housing policies to expand housing protections for survivors.

- Human Trafficking:Established by Governor Healey, the Subcommittee is working to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat sex trafficking in Massachusetts. This initiative combines both research and action-based approaches to address the issue. The strategy operates on three fundamental objectives: (1) strengthening prevention efforts, (2) enhancing support for those impacted by human trafficking, and (3) holding perpetrators accountable. The Plan seeks to create tangible solutions and concrete steps to fight human trafficking across Massachusetts. Beyond the development and execution of the Plan, the Subcommittee also recommends additional Human Trafficking awareness training to transportation personnel and the establishment of a Labor Trafficking Subcommittee. 

- Military, Veterans, and Families: The Subcommittee’s goal is to ensure seamless access to domestic and sexual violence prevention and response services for military members (past and present) and their families. This includes comprehensive training for civilian and military entities to ensure that service referrals are trauma-informed, well-equipped, and timely. 

Read the Council’s recommendations in full.  

In addition to the work of the Council to address sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking, Governor Healey has also signed several laws, supported by the Council, aimed at protecting and supporting survivors, including legislation expanding protections for victims of sexual assault by health care providers, gun safety legislation cracking down on ghost guns and strengthening violence prevention, and ****-expanding-protections-against-abuse-and-exploitation?_gl=1%2A1typrfk%2A_ga%2AODE1NzEzODIwLjE3MjIzNTMyMzU.%2A_ga_MCLPEGW7WM%2AMTczMzg0ODM4Ni41NS4xLjE3MzM4NDg1NjAuMC4wLjA.">legislation banning revenge ****, preventing abuse and exploitation. Her FY24 Supplemental Budget also includes VOCA Bridge to enhance support for victims of crime.    

The Council is chaired by Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, led by Executive Director Uribe, and includes members of the administration and their respective designees, 34 individuals appointed by the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and over 150 subcommittee members.