abuse

Pet shops and animal shelters would have a new way of ensuring that a pet is winding up in the care of a responsible owner if legislation under consideration in Massachusetts becomes law.

Over a quarter-of-a-million dollars in grant funding has been awarded to Seven Hills Behavioral Health to provide substance abuse and HIV prevention services in Greater New Bedford. Congressman William Keating tells WBSM News the nearly $284,000 grant will allow Seven Hills to provide a broad range of services in relation to the Southcoast's opioid problem...

While New Bedford and Gloucester are homes to key fishing ports in the country, both communities also share the blight of opioid abuse. This week, the Gloucester Police Department rolled out a new program that offers help to drug addicts instead of charging them with a crime...

The Baker administration is awarding nearly $3 million to communities throughout the state in an effort to combat substance abuse. New Bedford is one of 127 communities to benefit from the grant program, receiving $100,000. The City's Department of Public Health Director, Brenda Weis, tells WBSM News the program focuses on opioid abuse, and studying the best approaches to prevent that abuse... Rea

A former caretaker from New Bedford has been arraigned this week after an incident in a Bourne group home earlier this spring.

The Women's Center of New Bedford has once again orchestrated a month of events to raise awareness of domestic violence. October is the setting for domestic violence awareness, and in Massachusetts 14 people this year have died as a result of domestic abuse incidents...

A law enforcement official says he sent a video of Ray Rice punching his then-fiancee to an NFL executive three months ago, while league officers have insisted they didn't see the violent images until this week. The person played The Associated Press a 12-second voicemail from an NFL office number on April 9 confirming the video arrived...

There's now a mugshot of Texas Governor Rick Perry. The governor was booked this afternoon in Austin on felony abuse of power charges. He was indicted last Friday after he vetoed money that was meant for the Travis County Public Integrity Unit after District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg refused to resign following a drunk driving conviction...

Why are so many young people abusing prescription drugs?

Though the month of April is more renowned for it's showers, New Bedford is asking folks to keep an eye out for signs of abuse amongst their loved ones. Mayor Jon Mitchell declared April sexual assault awareness and child abuse prevention month...