Rural Network to End Domestic Violence

“We have to build communities from the inside out in order to make change. And if we are going to ensure well-being and reduce violence, we are going to need thousands of people working on it – not just service providers, but community residents as well.”  - Marcie Biddleman, Family Violence Prevention Fund 

About Us

The RNEDV is a network of rural domestic violence task forces in Western and North Central Massachusetts. We connect and support task forces, promote community-driven solutions, foster regional collaboration, and advocate for rural needs state-wide. The RNEDV was formally launched in September 2024.

The RNEDV has 18 general members, a steering committee, and two co-coordinators. Steering committee and general members are selected by the individual task force they represent. General members meet bimonthly, the steering committee meets bimonthly, and committees meet as needed.

Participating task forces include:

  • Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force

  • Southern Hilltowns Domestic Violence Task Force

  • Gardner Domestic Violence Task Force

  • Franklin County Domestic Violence Task Force 

  • Northwestern District Attorney’s Task Force on Domestic and Sexual Violence

  • Greenfield Mayor’s Task Force Against Domestic Violence

Community-Based Task Force Model:

This chart shows how member task forces are generally structured. However, a new task force can start small! Three people and one project can make a task force. It can take years to build up to something that looks like this model and we encourage communities to start small. Every rural community is different, and every task force will be different. 

Mission

The RNEDV works to prevent and reduce domestic violence in rural Western and North Central Massachusetts by building, connecting, and strengthening community-driven domestic violence task forces, by fostering regional collaboration, and by advocating for rural needs state-wide.

Through the efforts of member task forces and their partners, we envision a transformed landscape where rural communities are at low risk for domestic violence and those directly impacted have the support and resources needed for safety, recovery, health and resilience.

Where Our Members Are

This map shows what towns are covered by our member task forces. Towns in blue are covered by a community-based task force. Towns outlined in green are covered by an agency or municipal task force. Towns that are white and outside blue or green outlines are rural but not currently covered by an RNEDV member task force.