Return to Sender:
A Story of Shame
Join BARCC's village in supporting survivors and letting them know that shame is not theirs to carry.
For too long, survivors of sexual violence have been forced to carry a stigma that never belonged to them. We have been deeply moved by the courage of Gisele Pelicot, who chose to waive her right to anonymity during a high-profile trial in France. As she powerfully told the court, "It is time that shame changes sides." Her refusal to hide has ignited a global conversation about shifting the weight of public judgment away from the victim and back onto the perpetrator.
Here in the Greater Boston area, we see survivors every day who are navigating this same exhausting journey. Our mission is to provide the advocacy, counseling, and legal support necessary to ensure no one in our community has to carry that burden alone. We believe that by providing a safe place for healing, we help survivors shift that shame back to those who earned it.
Just as healing is a collaborative process, so is the fuel that keeps our doors open. We know that while the challenges we face are massive, they are met by the steady, collective heartbeat of our supporters. Every contribution, no matter the size, joins a larger tide of resources that sustains survivors through their darkest hours. When we pool our strength, we prove that a community standing in solidarity is far more powerful than the silence of one.
About BARCC
Founded in 1973, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) is the oldest and largest rape crisis center in New England, serving as the only comprehensive center in the Greater Boston area. Our mission is to end sexual violence through healing, empowerment, and social change.
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