Triangle Abuse Prevention & Safety Makes a Huge Difference In Just a Short Few Months
Following 18 years of successful partnership and collaboration, IMPACT Boston spun off from Triangle, Inc. earlier this year (you can read more here). In the wake of this separation, two long-time abuse prevention specialists, Michael Perry and Adriana Li, stayed with Triangle to establish the Triangle Abuse Prevention & Safety program, better known as TAPS.
This program, established in 2010 as IMPACT:Ability, is one of only a few evidence-based violence prevention programs for people with disabilities. When TAPS was established earlier this year, Mike and Adriana hit the ground running by partnering with local service providers, schools, and community partners and deepening its level of collaboration with Triangle’s team of clinicians and program staff. In the first six months of programming, TAPS has boosted its numbers and now facilitates 20 to 30 sessions each month across Massachusetts.
These training sessions cover a wide array of topics, including self-defense and self-advocacy, which allows participants to be able to navigate hard situations that statistically harm individuals with disabilities on a greater scale then those who do not. Mike and Adriana have customized each class to the specific individuals in attendance to meet them where they are at, allowing each participant to practice and acquire new skills.
Recently, TAPS has partnered with Salem State University, where they have been hosting training sessions for college age students. These students are at a critical time in their life where they are facing massive changes in independence for the first time, and learning to navigate friendships, relationships, and other interpersonal dynamics in a whole new way. Over eight sessions, participants have learned about workplace boundaries and professional advocacy, as well as lessons on dating and friendship boundaries, and how to stay safe and avoid potential sexual violence.
These TAPS sessions have helped many individuals gain confidence and knowledge to navigate harmful situations. Mike and Adriana have seen people go through these sessions and come out better equipped to navigate the world. As 2024 come to a close and TAPS closes out their first year, much progress has been made and there is more expansion and growth to come. Stay tuned.
Click here to make your 2023 donation today, which will help TAPS programs expand even more in 2024 and into the future!