To commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2025, you are invited to a workshop called “Together We Act: United We Change – Addressing Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking in Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region” on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, from 2 PM to 3 PM. You can register for this free event here.

This effort will focus on sexual exploitation and trafficking (SET) in our rural communities. It will provide an opportunity to learn and collaborate, understanding that together we can build stronger communities where all individuals feel safe, valued, and respected. We’ll hear from these local experts with experience and insights in this area:

• Kelly Broadway, CSEC Coordinator and Community Educator, Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region
• Jen Brzezinski, Assistant Deputy Superintendent, Franklin County Reentry Center, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
• Lisa McGahan, Individual & Family Advocate and Training Coordinator; and Eliza Galaher, Justice Collaboration Specialist & Advocate, The Salasin Project

Karen Carmona, Program Associate with the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region, will moderate this session.

The workshop will cover key topics, including the definition of SET, risk and vulnerability factors specific to rural areas, indicators of SET, and available local resources for both children and adults. Additionally, we will share updates on the SET Workgroup, which is jointly facilitated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Opioid Task Force, as well as our ongoing efforts in this critical area since 2019. There will be time for questions and discussion.

This is part of the 2024-2025 CONNECT Education Series. For more information, contact Nicole St. Hilaire, CONNECT’s Outreach Manager, at nicole@opioidtaskforce.org.