The recently opened Family Justice Center, located at 989 Commonwealth Ave., will provide a variety of resources to Boston University students and the community, including volunteer opportunities and assistance to victims in abusive domestic situations.
According to literature provided by the Family Justice Center Site Operational Director Deidre Kennedy, the center has at least 19 partnerships with different organizations throughout the city.
Kennedy said the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center will be one of these partners providing resources at the Family Justice Center.
“The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center is going to have a site at the center,” she said. “They are one of our on-site partners. There will be two full-time [staff members] starting in June.”
Also included among the partners are the Child Advocacy Center, the Victim Rights Law Center, Greater Boston Legal Services and the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance Domestic Violence Unit.
Kennedy said while the main purpose of the Family Justice Center is to provide care for people suffering from domestic abuse and violence, she also wants to provide a resource for students interested in community service initiatives.
“First of all, we want to be a resource for victims of domestic abuse, dating abuse or sexual abuse,” she said. “But we’d also love to have BU student’s intern or volunteer at the Center or one of the partner programs.”
According to Kennedy, staff members at the Family Justice Center met with Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore to discuss ideas for collaboration with the BU community.
CAS sophomore Annie Mancia, a member of the Women’s Center, said the Family Justice Center cannot only be a resource for students seeking assistance, but it can also provide information and care for students dealing with domestic violence issues.
“I think there are times when people need to turn to someone,” she said, “but don’t really know exactly where or how. The center can be helpful both as a resource to the BU community and also as a way to raise the awareness of domestic abuse.”
Co-President of the BU Women’s Center Melissa Carr said the center is not just for students but local families as well.
“We have been trying to get a rape crisis center on our campus for rape victims for so long,” the CAS sophomore said, “and BU has been vehemently opposed to it, so it’s great to have this resource.”
In addition to those seeking care at the center, Student Union President Jon Marker said there will be a number of opportunities for students from a variety of different majors and colleges to volunteer and intern.
Mancia said the Center’s convenient location will encourage student involvement.
“I think that there are people who have concern for those in abusive situations and they now have the opportunity to do some work right near campus,” she said.
The building, donated by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, is scheduled to officially open in May, according to the literature provided by Kennedy. The Boston Police Department will also house their Domestic Violence Unit and Child Abuse Unit detectives at the site.
