Nearly 50 years of service should not be dismissed
As a survivor of child sexual abuse, I was outraged by the Concord Monitor’s recent coverage of the effort to investigate the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The article gives undue credibility to Rep. Ellen Read’s claims while failing to meaningfully acknowledge the Coalition’s decades-long record of survivor-centered work.
For nearly 50 years, the Coalition has worked alongside survivors, law enforcement, prosecutors, defense attorneys, medical professionals and lawmakers to advance thoughtful — often groundbreaking — legislation. Reforms such as housing protections and privacy safeguards in court were not ideological exercises — they were carefully developed policies shaped by the lived experiences of survivors across our state.
The article also glosses over an important reality: for nearly seven years, the Coalition has faced relentless public attacks from a California socialite now aligned with Rep. Read. Elevating that narrative without context risks legitimizing harassment while distracting from the Coalition’s real work — serving thousands of survivors each year with confidential, trauma-informed support.
Oversight is appropriate when grounded in facts. What survivors do not need is sensationalism that undermines trusted institutions built over decades. The Coalition is not above accountability, but neither should it be subjected to politically driven vendettas.
Survivors deserve reporting that reflects the full picture.