Lewis to Host Forum on Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault

A release from the office of State Senator Jason Lewis:

Continuing his “Community Conversations” issue discussions, Senator Jason Lewis will host an upcoming conversation on education, prevention and survivor support strategies in the challenging areas of teen dating violence and sexual assault. Held in every community of the district, “Community Conversations” are issue discussions delving into a different timely topic at each forum, with ample opportunity for residents to share feedback and have their questions answered by experts on the given topic.

This upcoming event — Community Conversations: Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault —
will take place on Wed., Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. The event will occur at Memorial Hall, 590 Main St, Melrose, and is free and open to the public. Attendees will hear from Melrose Alliance Against Violence Executive Director Rebecca Mooney, anti-violence advocate Dr. Malcolm Astley, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Director of Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention and Education Mark Bergeron-Naper, with introductory remarks from Senator Lewis, State Representative Paul Brodeur, and Melrose Mayor Gail Infurna. Senator Lewis is the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health.

This forum will offer the chance to hear directly from advocates and experts about the salient and
challenging topics of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and sexual violence. Director
Mooney will discuss the teen dating violence public awareness initiatives undertaken by the
Melrose Alliance Against Violence, and Dr. Astley will share his real-world experience with teen dating violence and the important advocacy efforts he has undertaken to educate youth, especially young men, about consent and violence prevention. Director Bergeron-Naper will give insight into his work coordinating the prevention and education initiatives in the Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention and Services Division of the Massachusetts DPH Bureau of Community Health & Prevention. There will be ample opportunity for Q&A from attendees.

The forum is co-sponsored by Mayor Gail Infurna, State Representative Paul Brodeur, the
Melrose Alliance Against Violence, the Stoneham Alliance Against Violence, and the Winchester Coalition for a Safer Community.

“Community Conversations” forums have been held in all six communities of the 5th Middlesex
district on topics including: public education; public transportation; small business and entrepreneurship; challenges facing senior citizens and caregivers; veterans’ issues; mental
health; housing; energy policy and environmental priorities; and, efforts to combat substance
abuse and opioid addiction in our region.