Mass Law Reform is powered by our advocates – talented and committed individuals who work together to fight for the needs of low-income people. We want to highlight these advocates, starting with Jamie Sabino, MLRI’s Deputy Director of Advocacy.

Jamie Sabino joined MLRI in October 2014. She is the Deputy Director of Advocacy and the Managing Attorney of the Civil Legal Needs for Victims of Crime Initiative (CLAVC). The CLAVC Initiative is supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance through a Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

In addition, she serves as lead advocate for the Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Project (DVLAP) including facilitating the Family Law Task Force, a statewide group of legal services family law attorneys, attorneys in domestic violence service provider agencies, and attorneys involved in family law pro bono programs and law school clinics.

Q&A with Jamie Sabino

What advocacy from your time at MLRI are you particularly proud of?

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it immediately became clear that survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault seeking abuse prevention and harassment protection orders were facing enormous challenges. Despite court issued standing orders, individual courts were handling these matters in very different ways – resulting in cases in which survivors had no access to the courts to obtain relief. AmeriCorps Advocates across the state tracked these differences and related burdens. We took this evidence to the Administrative Office of the District and the Boston Municipal Courts – and they immediately responded to address as many of the issues as they could. This then led to a partnership in which dedicated court leaders and advocates (including many legal service attorneys) started regular meetings to share information and collaborate on solutions.

How has your work changed since becoming the Deputy Director of Advocacy? What excites you about this position?

I have always been interested in promoting collaboration between different MLRI practice areas. Domestic violence concerns arise in benefits, immigration, housing, child welfare, and health care work, so I have had the opportunity to work with attorneys and advocates in many practice units. My new advocacy role will allow me to continue promoting collaboration and communication across practice areas.

It’s Domestic Violence Awareness month – why is awareness important to domestic violence advocacy? Is there a common misperception you think it’s important to clear up?

Many people still think that domestic violence is not a pervasive issue and do not understand that it crosses all socioeconomic lines. Domestic violence exists in every community.

The question that always comes up in domestic violence advocacy is: “Why don’t they just leave? If they didn’t leave, it couldn’t have been that bad”. This perspective shows a lack of awareness of the extent of coercion and control in domestic violence situations. Survivors are often isolated and have few resources, making leaving extremely difficult for many economic and psychological reasons. Further, it is clear that leaving an abusive relationship can often increase the risk of serious injury and fatalities. If the abusive party senses they are losing control, they will often respond with more violence.

What are you working on right now, and why are you prioritizing it?

I have had the privilege to work with a group of survivors of domestic violence who want to become advocates for change in the legislative arena. We have been working together to create a statewide coalition to work on key legislative proposals. This coalition will bring the voices of survivors to the legislature and bring legislators into meaningful collaboration with these survivors.