Letter: DA Harrington's Task Force Reshapes Response to Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault

To the Editor:

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior one person in a relationship uses to control, humiliate and hurt another person emotionally, sexually, financially, or physically. Studies increasingly show that domestic violence is a primary cause of homelessness and poverty.

According to the Elizabeth Freeman Center, domestic violence exists at all socioeconomic levels. However, most victims who leave abusive relationships suffer an immediate drop in financial worth due to the loss of income, housing, employment, schooling, family support or childcare.

Domestic violence is never the victim's fault.

The last two years have seen two domestic violence murders in north Berkshire which rocked our community, one in North Adams and the second in neighboring Clarksburg. North Adams also reported a high rate of aggravated and sexual assault compared to the national average. Over the last year, city leaders voiced their concerns on this issue and held several community forums, rallies, and vigils. Groups were created to bring awareness, education and community outreach to solve the problem.

Marie T. Harpin
North Adams, Mass. 

Marie T. Harpin, is a North Adams city councilor & member of the district attorney's Berkshire County Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.