The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable has created a Web site to raise awareness and provide useful information about abusive behaviors at www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org

"We wanted to accomplish two goals with the Web site," said Suzanne Sege of Sudbury, co-president of the Roundtable. "The first is to provide carefully vetted information about the several types of abusive behavior. People hear ‘domestic violence’ and they think only about an adult battering a spouse. It’s more complicated than that. In some cases, the spousal abuse is psychological and psychological pain can be worse and more lasting than physical injuries.

"Moreover, spousal abuse is only one of the several forms of abusive behavior that is found in towns like ours. For this reason, our new Web site also discusses elder abuse, bullying, unhealthy teen relationships, and the effects on a child of being exposed to family violence. Our Web site’s second goal is to provide information about sources of help in the MetroWest area for victims of abusive behaviors."

Wayland’s Bob Mainer, who serves with Sege as co-president of the Roundtable, added, "We expect the Web site to be useful to the clergy, doctors, dentists, chiropractors, teachers, police and others whose work may make them aware of situations where abusive behavior is suspected. What are the signals? How can I be helpful? Whom do I call?" The Sudbury Foundation and the Morris and Lillian P. Gould Family Foundation funded the Web site’s development.