Jason
From the priority area Basic Needs

Jason Robinson and his mother arrived at the Women's Center of Southeastern Connecticut after escaping a violent stepfather. In his early childhood, Jason endured his stepfather's repeated fists while also trying to protect his mother from the abuse. On one occasion, Jason came home from school to see his stepfather holding a shotgun to his mother's head. After this incident, they finally decided to escape, fleeing the West Coast and finding their way to the Women's Center in 1991.

When Jason and his mother first arrived, they stayed at the Genesis House emergency shelter. Jason was a scared, exhausted eleven-year-old boy who had played the adult for far too long. He didn't have a chance to be a kid and, instead, worried about staying alive and protecting his mother. Following a short stay, they moved into Phoenix House, a transitional living facility where they both took advantage of individual counseling, support groups, case management, and life skills programs. They found a house to rent and moved out on their own after two years in Women's Center programs.

Jason continues to volunteer and be a spokesperson for domestic violence and its affects on children and families. He gives a voice to victims of domestic violence. He has spoken as part of the annual Men Against Domestic Violence Campaign, helped to kick off the 1,000 Man Campaign, and addresses high school boys throughout New London at Man to Man: Taking a Stand at Connecticut College. After graduating from Mitchell College and Salve Regina, Jason is planning his next steps to becoming a professor of anthropology.