The Official Website of the Attorney General of Massachusetts

Attorney General Martha Coakley

October is Domestic Violence Awareness MonthDomestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Domestic violence can take several forms in addition to physical battering: sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, and economic abuse.  Sadly, in recent years there has been a significant increase in domestic violence-related homicides in Massachusetts, and the impact ripples beyond the families into the community. 

The Victim Compensation & Assistance Division of the AGO provides financial assistance to eligible victims of violent crime, including victims and child witnesses to domestic violence, and family members of homicide victims (M.G.L. c. 258C ).  In 2007, the Division assisted over 260 victims of domestic violence and their families with costs such as: hospital expenses; dental treatment; prescriptions; mental health counseling; lost wages; and funeral/burial expenses.  For information about the program, view the Victims of Violent Crime Compensation page of this site.