Throughout late summer and fall, Saheli undertook preliminary research to better understand the prevalence of domestic abuse in New England’s South Asian communities, and to conduct a needs assessment of survivors of domestic abuse in 12 towns north and west of Boston in order to serve the area more effectively. With a mini-grant from the Community Health Network Area 15, Saheli partnered with Boston University research psychologist Uma Millner to develop a survey and distribute it at outreach events. Preliminary findings indicate that South Asian respondents born in the U.S. are more likely to say that they have experienced abuse than South Asian respondents born overseas, and that 50% of survey respondents said they know someone who has experienced abuse.

For 20 years, Saheli has offered free service to address challenges faced by South Asian immigrants in MA. These include domestic violence prevention and recovery; programs addressing the physical, mental health, and safety needs of women; legal and immigration referrals; career and economic empowerment; and volunteer opportunities.

Domestic Violence Program at a Glance

Statistics are from January of 2016 to present.

Total # of Clients: 166

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