CONNECT - Safe Families, Peaceful Communities

CONNECT - Safe Families, Peaceful Communities CONNECT is dedicated to preventing interpersonal violence and promoting gender justice. Please help us spread the word about our important work.

Attend our events and trainings; share our posts; and invite your friends!

05/20/2026

Join Us Tomorrow: CONNECT Women’s Circle! Are you looking for a space to heal, connect, and feel supported? Tomorrow night, CONNECT is opening its virtual doors to offer a dedicated, safe refuge for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Tomorrow’s Theme:
Open Discussion

This circle will be a completely open space to talk, listen, and share. There is no set agenda—just a supportive environment to speak your mind, express your feelings, or simply listen and sit in community with others.

This is a trauma-informed, deeply confidential space designed for us to come together—not just to acknowledge the pain, but to celebrate our collective resilience, strength, and empowerment. Come exactly as you are, and build community with others who truly understand the journey of survival.

When:*Tomorrow—Thursday, May 21
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EST

Where: Virtual via Zoom
How to Join: Space is held with the utmost care. To receive the Zoom link, please RSVP directly to

Sharene Roig at [email protected].

CONNECT’s Women’s Circle provides safe refuges where survivors can process trauma, share stories, and heal together. For more information about our programs or to support our mission, visit www.connectnyc.org or call (212) 683-0015.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to the incredible women who lift us up—here and in memory. You are seen, you are loved and remembered. 💐 For those who are guiding us from beyond, we carry your light with us.

05/06/2026

THE “F” WORD: FEMICIDE

Femicide is the intentional killing of women and girls because of their gender—most often at the hands of intimate partners or family members.

This isn’t rare. It’s a pattern.
(NYC):
The killing of Azsia Johnson—shot while pushing her baby in a stroller—remains a stark reminder that this violence is happening in our communities.

UNITED STATES:
Cases like Gabby Petito reflect a broader reality—women across the country are killed every day by current or former partners.

GLOBAL:
From Mexico to Colombia, and cases like Valeria Márquez—killed during a livestream—this is a global crisis.

Globally, over 50,000 women and girls are killed each year by intimate partners or family members.

Femicide is not isolated.
It is the end point of unchecked male violence, silence, and systems that fail to hold harm accountable.

This roundtable is about naming it—and what men must do to stop it.

🗓 CONNECT Men’s Roundtable
🕖 Thursday | 7PM EST
📩 RSVP: [email protected]
📲 DM

We are witnessing a relentless cycle of violence across the country. These aren’t “isolated incidents" they are the dead...
04/24/2026

We are witnessing a relentless cycle of violence across the country. These aren’t “isolated incidents" they are the deadly endpoint of a culture that doesn’t hold men accountable.

At , we refuse to thrive while women and girls suffer. We are calling on our community to move beyond "“wareness"”and toward real action.

We owe our youth their innocence back. Our job is to model healthy relationships and ensure they have total autonomy over their minds and bodies.

**Show up. Speak up. Listen. Be accountable.**

🗓️ **JOIN US TOMORROW**
Stand with our youth at the Annual Teen Dating Violence Awareness March.

* **WHEN:** Tomorrow, April 25th at 10:00 AM
* **WHERE:** Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. (Meeting place: Tillery St & Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, NY. Check for more details.)

Let’s center the voices of survivors and youth to demand a future rooted in safety and respect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Estamos presenciando un ciclo implacable de violencia en todo el país. Estos no son “incidentes aislados”, son el punto final mortal de una cultura que no hace que los hombres rindan cuentas.

En ****, nos negamos a prosperar mientras las mujeres y las niñas sufren. Hacemos un llamado a nuestra comunidad para ir más allá de la “concientización” y avanzar hacia la acción real.

Les debemos a nuestros jóvenes la devolución de su inocencia. Nuestro trabajo es modelar relaciones saludables y asegurar que tengan total autonomía sobre sus mentes y cuerpos.

**Hazte presente. Alza la voz. Escucha. Rinde cuentas.**

🗓️ **ÚNETE A NOSOTROS MAÑANA**
Apoya a nuestra juventud en la Marcha Anual de Concientización sobre la Violencia en el Noviazgo Adolescente.

* **CUÁNDO:** Mañana, 25 de abril a las 10:00 AM
* **DÓNDE:** Cruzando el Puente de Brooklyn. (Punto de encuentro: Tillery St & Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, NY. Consulta **** para más detalles).

Centremos las voces de los sobrevivientes y los jóvenes para exigir un futuro basado en la seguridad y el respeto.

The Legacy of Dr. John AponteRest in Power to a giant. 🕊️ It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Dr. John ...
04/07/2026

The Legacy of Dr. John Aponte

Rest in Power to a giant. 🕊️ It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Dr. John Aponte—a visionary psychologist, and one of New York City’s most formidable leaders in the movement to end domestic violence.

Who he was to the field:
John didn’t just work in the field; he pushed it forward. He pioneered a holistic approach that challenged us to look at male socialization and masculinity not as static traits, but as forces that shape our relationships and families. He mentored and trained hundreds of people through CONNECT, grounding our work in the radical idea that true accountability requires men and women to stand as allies.

What he meant to me:
On a personal level, John was a father figure. When I was a 25-year-old just stepping into manhood, he transformed my thinking. He didn’t just challenge my worldview; he planted the seed that this work could be my life’s calling.
He eventually entrusted me to lead groups at his counseling firm, and years later, I had the honor of bringing him to CONNECT to co-create our training curriculum. John didn’t just teach the curriculum; he embodied it. His presence reminded us that accountability isn’t a professional checkbox—it’s a lifelong personal practice.

A life of vitality:
Beyond the clinical rooms, John was a man of immense soul. He was a gifted vocalist who shared the stage with the legendary Willie Colón, singing everything from doo-wop to salsa. Whether he was on the open road on his motorcycle or practicing Tai Chi, he lived with a balance of discipline and grace that even Parkinson’s couldn’t dim.

We honor his legacy by holding the line of vulnerability and courage he modeled so bravely until the end. Our deepest love and condolences go out to his wife Paula and his entire family.

Rest well, John. Your rhythm and your wisdom play on in all of us. 🕊️✨

RestInPower

Register for the Spring Cycle ofUNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: ESSENTIALS & INTERSECTIONSa comprehensive training for ...
04/06/2026

Register for the Spring Cycle of

UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: ESSENTIALS & INTERSECTIONS

a comprehensive training for those serving impacted communities 18-hour virtual training.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,
April 27, 29; May 1,4,6,8 2026 via Zoom

10-11:30AM & 2-3:30PM EST

This course will deepen your understanding of: 
- Why abuse happens and barriers to leaving 

- The impact of trauma on individuals, families and communities 

- The roles of culture and religion 

- Domestic violence within LGBTQ communities 

- Social services, legal systems and community alternatives 

- Safety Planning

Materials Fee: $99
Due upon registration
Inquire about sliding scale

*Participation in all sessions (18 hours total) is required for certification. This course is a prerequisite course for most CONNECT Training Institute courses.

Register at: https://forms.gle/HAkE8q1DdysN7fj77

For info contact: [email protected]

04/06/2026

An Introduction to
Intimate Partner Violence
During Pregnancy

3-Hour Virtual Training to Increase Participants’ Capacity to Assist Pregnant Survivors

Thurs. April 16, 2026
10 AM - 1 PM EST - Zoom

The training will explore:

Reproductive coercion (behavior that interferes with contraception use and pregnancy);

Specific warning signs of IPV during pregnancy; and

Unique obstacles to leaving while pregnant.

bFee: $25

To register, email Sharene Roig, MA, Ed.M. at [email protected].

Pregnancy-related intimate partner violence (IPV) disproportionately affects Black, Brown, and immigrant communities, compounding existing inequities in healthcare access and trust. NYC: Pregnancy IPV remains higher among Black and Brown communities; immigrant status can heighten reporting barriers, underscoring the need for culturally competent screening and support. NYS: Race/ethnicity and immigrant status shape how safely and often pregnant people disclose IPV.

Join our training to learn practical screening approaches, trauma-informed care, and community-linked support strategies.

04/04/2026

Wishing the entire CONNECT community a peaceful and joyful Easter. May this season of renewal bring healing, hope, and continued strength to the work we do together—building safer, more compassionate communities for all.

04/01/2026

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
In NYC, thousands of survivors navigate systems that too often fail to center their healing, safety, and dignity. From hospitals to courts to community spaces, the call is clear: we must do more to prevent violence and support survivors.

This month, we uplift survivors, challenge harmful norms, and commit to building a city where consent, accountability, and care are non-negotiable.

Prevention is possible. Support is essential. Silence is not.

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New York, NY
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