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WISE History

Over the past decades, WISE has supported more than 10,000 people, provided trauma support training to over 5,000 first-responder professionals, taught healthy relationship skills to more than 18,000 students and reached over 11,000 community members with customized workshops.

Founded in 1971 as a career resource center for women, WISE began as a grassroots organization offering education and employment training as well as support and information for new moms. As WISE became recognized as a safe space where women could gather as a community, they began to talk about experiences in their lives beyond careers. WISE listened and was struck by the stories of domestic and sexual violence at home and in the work place and realized that women were suffering.

In 1981 WISE joined the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, and the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, and established a 24-hour crisis line (1-866-348-WISE). Eight years later the crisis line was receiving over 1000 calls annually.

In 1994 WISE hired a Youth Violence Prevention and Community Outreach Coordinator, expanding the mission to not only respond as a crisis center, but to advocate for social change through education. Today WISE outreach programs reach an average of over 5000 people annually.

In 2001 WISE rented its first apartment to serve as a confidential emergency shelter for women fleeing violence. 

In 2006 WISE bought the Program Center at 38 Bank Street in Lebanon NH, a permanent home and safe space for WISE, survivors, and the community. On February 8, 2008 WISE moved into the Program Center and has continued to provide and expand critical support for victims and survivors in the Upper Valley. 

In 2013 WISE purchased a Safe Home realizing the dream to have its own warm, nurturing and holistic space where victims can be safe and begin their journey towards healing and self-sufficiency.

In 2015 WISE began a partnership with Dartmouth College to provide a dedicated campus advocate and a co-location site on campus. 

In 2018 WISE opened a co-location site in Windsor, VT and partnered with Upper Valley Haven, Good Neighbor Health Clinic, and LISTEN to provide a coordinated community response to survivors of gender-based violence. In addition, WANN (Welcoming All Nationalities Network) became a program of WISE to provide legal assistance and comprehensive support to immigrant survivors of gender-based violence. 

In 2019, WISE launched its Multidisciplinary Interview and Training Center, a ground-breaking collaboration with Windsor County State’s Attorney, the Windsor County Unit for Special Investigations and Hartford and Woodstock Police Departments. Through this program, victims are able to more accurately share their experiences of traumatic victimization, and the criminal legal system can secure more useful information for investigative and prosecution work.

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Non-Discrimination Policy

It is the policy of WISE to provide educational programs and/or services to victims/survivors of gender-based violence regardless of gender identity/expression/perception, age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental or emotional ability, sexual orientation/identity, socio-economic status, race, national origin, parental responsibility, language, immigration status, or religious or political affiliation.

Your Rights

• You have a right to know and understand the policies of the organization.
• You have a right to make your own decisions, within the rules and policies of the organization
• You have a right to respectful treatment
• You have a right to access your individual records
• You have a right to have your information/records kept confidential according to New Hampshire and Vermont Laws including NH RSA 173-C
• You can speak to WISE staff about your rights under New Hampshire and Vermont Laws, including NH RSA 173-C.
• You have a right to offer suggestions and input concerning WISE.
• You have a right to have complaints concerning WISE services. To do this, you may make a complaint to the Assistant and/or Executive Director. If no resolution is reached, you may make a formal complaint to the WISE Board of Directors
• It is the policy of WISE to provide educational programs and/or services to victims/survivors of gender-based violence regardless of gender identity/expression/perception, age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental or emotional ability, sexual orientation/identity, socio-economic status, race, national origin, parental responsibility, language, immigration status, or religious or political affiliation.

Publications