BOSTON, MA – June 24, 2026 – Jane Doe Inc. (JDI), the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, in partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission and the City of Cambridge’s Domestic and Gender Based Violence Prevention Initiative, today announced special funding that will help 12 survivor-serving organizations in Greater Boston address the expected increase in sexual assault, domestic violence, and trafficking during the 2026 World Cup.
This critical funding will expand crisis hotlines and support additional capacity for survivor-serving organizations and staff members available to support survivors – including both residents and visitors. In addition to providing funding, JDI, the Boston Public Health Commission, and the City of Cambridge’s Domestic and Gender Based Violence Prevention Initiative – along with the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement – have been working to raise awareness about available resources and educate bystanders about how to recognize and address gender-based violence.
The organizations receiving funding are:
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Boston Area Rape Crisis Center
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Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
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Brazilian Worker Center
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DOVE, Inc.
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Fenway Health’s Violence Recovery Program
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HarborCOV
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Love Life Now Foundation
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New Hope Inc.
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North American Indian Center of Boston
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On The Rise
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Roca, Inc.
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SafeLink (Casa Myrna)
“Every day, community-based organizations are on the front lines – answering calls on crisis hotlines, supporting survivors who walk through their doors, coordinating essential legal and housing support, and much, much more,” said Greta Hagen, JDI’s Deputy Director. “We’re focused on investing in survivor-serving organizations to help ensure they have the capacity and resources to support survivors—during the World Cup and long after.”
“Hosting the World Cup is a once-in-a-generation experience, but it also creates tremendous pressure on host communities, residents, and visitors alike. As Boston experiences heightened tourism, it is critical that survivors, and anyone who feels unsafe, know how to access the resources and support available to them,” said Kimberly Mendoza Iraheta, Director of the Boston Public Health Commission’s Domestic, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative. “We are grateful to partner with JDI, the City of Boston, and the City of Cambridge to support programs that are working every day to provide safety and care for survivors and make all of our communities safer.”
“The World Cup amplifies the importance of gender-based violence prevention programs, and the need for sustained investment to support survivors and advocates in Cambridge and across the Commonwealth,” said Shameka Gregory, Executive Director of the City of Cambridge’s Domestic and Gender Based Violence Prevention Initiative. “Through this additional funding, we’re working to make sure survivors are able to access the resources they need, both during and after the World Cup, by continuing to strengthen survivor-serving organizations and increase understanding about community responses to violence.”
“We are deeply honored to receive this capacity–building grant from Jane Doe Inc. and the Boston Public Health Commission,” said Lovern Gordon, President and Founder of the Love Life Now Foundation. “As the world turns its attention to Massachusetts during the World Cup, this investment expands our ability to support survivors through our Get Safe Fund, providing critical assistance that helps individuals and families move toward safety, at a time where we are seeing heightened calls for help. We are grateful for this partnership and the shared commitment to addressing domestic violence.”
“LGBTQ+ survivors often face unique barriers to safety, including discrimination, housing instability, and limited access to affirming services,” said Lauren Kourabas, LICSW and Program Manager of Fenway Health’s Violence Recovery Program. “This funding will allow the Violence Recovery Program at Fenway Health to provide direct financial assistance to survivors experiencing intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and hate violence, helping them meet urgent safety needs such as emergency housing, transportation, and relocation. As Boston welcomes visitors from around the world during the World Cup, this investment strengthens our community’s ability to respond to increased needs and ensure that survivors have access to timely, life-saving support.”
“The World Cup offers an exciting opportunity for individuals from around the world and members of our local communities to gather and share in the joy of sport, culture, and community,” said Kourou Pich, CEO of HarborCOV. “As an organization supporting many immigrant, refugee, and multilingual survivors of domestic violence, HarborCOV recognizes that large international events can also increase vulnerabilities for survivors and create additional demand for culturally and linguistically responsive services. This funding will help us strengthen our capacity to provide trauma-informed advocacy, housing stabilization, safety planning, and support in survivors’ preferred languages, ensuring that individuals and families can access support and stay safe this summer and beyond.”
“If human trafficking is silent, then we’ve got to be loud,” said Mick Hirsch, Executive Director of DOVE, Inc. “If human trafficking hides in the shadows, then we’ve got to shine a big bright light; and if human trafficking is much more of a problem than people realize, then we need to form the strongest team of partner organizations to end modern slavery and set the captives free!”
“The World Cup is an extraordinary moment for Massachusetts, and a critical one for community safety,” said Sunindiya Bhalla, Roca, Inc.’s Executive Vice President of Women and 2Gen. “We know that large-scale sporting events can intensify risk for people already vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, which is why preparation matters. We’re grateful to Jane Doe Inc., the Boston Public Health Commission, and their partners for investing in the organizations doing this work on the ground every day. This funding will help Roca meet the moment and continue to take bold action to combat trafficking. We are proud to be part of this effort and grateful for this partnership.”
“Jane Doe Inc.’s flexible funding recognizes the reality that broad community impacts are often felt most acutely by people who are least visible,” said Delphene Mooney, Executive Director of On The Rise. “This support helps organizations like us to continue providing trusted, relationship-based services to survivors who may not access traditional systems, ensuring they remain connected to safety, resources, and advocacy when needs increase.”
“When someone calls our hotline, they’re often calling in one of the hardest moments of their life. We know, because the data is clear, that moments like the World Cup tend to bring a surge in domestic and sexual violence, and human trafficking, which means more people reaching out and needing support,” said Liz Speakman, Executive Director of Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. “This funding means we can be there for every call and better increase our capacity to meet survivors’ needs. We also want funders and partners to understand that this kind of readiness doesn’t happen overnight. It takes consistent, sustained investment in our staff, our services, and the survivors who count on us. We are incredibly grateful to our partners for investing in BARCC’s services and ensuring that we have sustained investment to meet the increased need during the World Cup.”
“As Massachusetts welcomes visitors from across the world, it is critical that we remain vigilant in protecting those most vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and trafficking,” said Stephanie Brown, CEO of Casa Myrna. “We are grateful to Jane Doe Inc., the Boston Public Health Commission, and the City of Cambridge for supporting community-based organizations that raise awareness and connect people to help. Through SafeLink, Massachusetts’ statewide 24/7 domestic violence hotline, Casa Myrna stands ready to provide confidential support, information, and safety planning to survivors across the Commonwealth – during the World Cup and all year round.”
“Enacting New Hope’s mission of creating communities free from violence and exploitation during high-demand events like the World Cup doesn’t only mean being ready to meet survivors where they are at when they have experienced harm, to support them in their healing, and to fiercely advocate for their safety and wellbeing. It also means creating enough public awareness to mitigate and prevent the violence and exploitation of human trafficking before it even happens, and the World Cup’s spotlight on our communities is an opportunity to do so,” said Lily Swaine-Moore, Community Educator and Advocate at New Hope, Inc. “Our ability to seize this opportunity, and others like it, to provide harm prevention and reduction education is reliant on funding, and we are especially grateful to have received World Cup preparedness funding to facilitate our human trafficking awareness campaign, including trainings, a webpage with information and resources, and a toolkit of outreach materials. If we neglect to fund prevention, we miss the chance to empower community members to keep themselves and each other safe from interpersonal harm, both during and far beyond these events. Sustained commitment to funding and increasing capacity for education, prevention, and outreach, alongside our survivor-serving programming, is essential to serving our communities. Using the World Cup as a platform, let’s keep making it our goal.”
“We’re thrilled to bring our Health & Wellness and Gender-Based/Domestic Violence Prevention Program to the forefront during the World Cup, a time of great celebration and potential risk for our community,” said Lídia G. Ferreira, Health & Wellness and Gender-Based and Domestic Violence Prevention Manager for the Brazilian Worker Center. “The World Cup is an opportunity to reach more Brazilian and Spanish-speaking families with critical resources and support. We’re expanding emergency support for survivors, standing beside them and strengthening community voices. Our commitment goes beyond the World Cup—we’re dedicated to being a trusted space for immigrants to find support without fear. We’ll continue to uplift our community, today and for years to come.”
If you or a loved one is experiencing sexual assault, domestic violence, or trafficking, you are not alone—local programs can answer questions and provide judgement-free support. Visit janedoe.org/our-work/the-world-cup/ to find local resources, or call:
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Boston Area Rape Crisis Center/Sexual Assault: (800) 841-8371
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SafeLink/Domestic Violence: (877) 785-2020
About Jane Doe Inc, The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
JDI (Jane Doe Inc., The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence) is the only statewide membership and advocacy coalition in Massachusetts dedicated to addressing sexual and domestic violence. We aim to support survivors and end violence by promoting gender equity, racial justice, and safety for everyone. JDI’s mission is to complement and support the expertise and leadership of our 65 community-based member organizations with a statewide strategy involving public and private partners to tackle systemic issues that foster and perpetuate violence, to create policies and explore innovative solutions that improve the lives of survivors, and to prevent gender-based violence. To learn more visit https://janedoe.org.
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