Daily News

Dress for Success ‘Breaking Down the Barriers’ Event to Focus on Domestic Violence

SPRINGFIELD — Dress for Success Western Massachusetts will host “Breaking Down the Barriers,” its second annual half-day conference with a focus on domestic violence, its impact on women in the workforce, and new legislation affecting both survivors and their employers. The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 11 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.

Panelists include Elizabeth Dineen from the YWCA, Morgan Ferrarotti from MassMutual, Diana Lozano from Riverside Industries, and Pamela Thornton from the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast. The perspective of a survivor will also be part of the discussion. The keynote speaker will be a representative from Employers Against Domestic Violence.

Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased through www.westernmass.dressforsuccess.org. They will also be available at the door.

The target audience includes lay people, managers and human-resource professionals, and anyone interested in the topic of domestic violence. The event is open to the public, and a light breakfast is included.

According to Dawn Creighton, past president of Dress for Success (DFS) Western Massachusetts, “domestic violence impacts one in every four women, a startling statistic that DFS thinks should be brought to the forefront,” she said. She urges people to come to “Breaking Down the Barriers” to learn how to be a resource and how employers can save valuable employees.

Event sponsorships are available, and interested parties should contact Margaret Tantillo, executive director, at [email protected].