This Trauma Training Tuesday will explore gender-based police violence and its impact on survivors, families, and community trust. In the wake of recent Department of Justice findings regarding the Worcester Police Department, this conversation acknowledges that these issues are not abstract or historical—they are deeply relevant to our local community and continue to affect people’s sense of safety, dignity, and trust in public systems. Participants will examine the dynamics of trauma, coercion, power, barriers to reporting, and institutional response, while also exploring the importance of accountability, healing, and trauma-informed approaches that support both survivor well-being and safer communities.
Rachel LaPointe is a social worker based in New York City who has been conducting original research into the intersection of policing and sexual violence. She received her MSW from Columbia University and has worked in the field of gender-based violence for the past five years. Rachel tracks daily law enforcement officers across the country who have been accused of, arrested for, or convicted of sexual violence against their communities. She also raises awareness on the epidemic of police sexual violence through her digital platforms, including Substack, Instagram, and TikTok.