The Retreat’s Board President Wins a Women of Peace Award

The Retreat’s board president has won Women of Peace award from The Women's Peacepower Foundation. 

Nicole Behrens, who is a former client at The Retreat, was chosen by The Women’s Peacepower Foundation Inc., which gives Women of Peace Awards to women and girls involved in grassroots projects who are working to bring peace to the everyday lives of women and their families.

“We are extremely proud of Nicole for all of the work that she does to increase awareness about violence against women.” Karen Ross, the interim executive director at The Retreat, said. “Through her passionate speeches, articles, and sharing of her personal experience with vulnerable women and girls across Suffolk County and beyond, Nicole Behrens has become the voice for other domestic violence victims unable to speak up for themselves.” 

Behrens said she wakes up grateful for the strength that she found to reach out and call The Retreat. “The support that I received from The Retreat was incredible, and when I finished receiving services and truly realized what The Retreat had done for me and my daughter, I knew that I had to make other women, like me, aware of the help that is out there.”

The Retreat is a not-for-profit domestic violence services agency that was founded in 1987. It runs a crisis hotline and domestic violence shelter, and offers legal advocacy, counseling, and domestic violence prevention education.