99% of domestic violence cases involve financial abuse. Purchase MCEDV's limited-edition Sea Bags tote or cosmetic case, and 35% of the proceeds will help survivors escape and rebuild. Order by Oct. 31 to arrive by Dec. 25.
PORTLAND, Maine, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, today the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) launched the Liberation Tote and Liberation Cosmetic Case. Thirty-five percent of proceeds support MCEDV's Liberation Fund, which covers the costs of helping survivors escape safely and rebuild their lives.
Every year, over 14,000 people experience domestic abuse in the state of Maine alone, and financial abuse is present in 99 percent of domestic violence cases nationally. Most people don't realize domestic abuse is a financial matter. Often, survivors need $50 for a full tank of gas to escape, $100 for a security camera to stay safe, and thousands for legal independence. Yet, many have limited or no access to their own money.
"We know 73% of survivors are trapped longer in an abusive relationship because of financial concerns," said Francine Garland Stark, Executive Director of MCEDV. "Survivors don't just need shelter, they need resources to rebuild economically independent lives. This collection, handcrafted by Sea Bags in Maine, helps make those resources tangible. When you buy or gift a Liberation tote or cosmetic case, you're funding someone's path to safety."
Since its founding in 2020, MCEDV's Liberation Fund has provided over $675,000 to nearly 1,400 survivors, covering expenses like security deposits, attorney fees, back-to-school supplies, car repairs, and more. On average, survivors who access the Liberation Fund ask for help to overcome obstacles that cost as little as $300 to resolve.
Just as Sea Bags gives retired sails a second life, the Liberation Collection will help give survivors a second chance. Every purchase becomes a direct investment in someone's economic foundation to escape safely and start over.
Liberation Collection Details
The Liberation Tote ($250) and Liberation Cosmetic Case ($95) were designed in collaboration with Portland, Maine-based creative agency Words From The Woods. One side features a fiddlehead, a coiled young fern that emerges each spring, and the other shows it fully open, reflecting growth and healing after even the longest winters.
"Like a fern unfurling after protecting itself through hardship, domestic violence survivors move from self-protection toward openness, independence and renewal," said Meranne Behrends, Co-Founder and CEO of Words From The Woods. "The Liberation Collection symbolizes that journey with the same elegance and durability Sea Bags is known for. Every piece honors survivors' resilience while supporting MCEDV's work to help them rebuild again safely."
The MCEDV Liberation Sea Bags Collection is available now for presale at the MCEDV site through December 31. Orders placed by October 31 are guaranteed to arrive by December 25.
View and download images of the Liberation Collection.
To learn more about MCEDV's Fund Safety campaign, listen to this episode of Maine Public's Maine Calling. To support the Liberation Fund, visit mcedv.org/fund-safety.
About Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence:
Founded in 1977, the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) works to end intimate partner and family abuse in all its forms, including coercive control, physical violence, sexual abuse, stalking, financial exploitation, and sex trafficking. MCEDV serves its network of nine member organizations across Maine with training, technical assistance, and support, while advocating for survivor-centered policies at the state and federal level. MCEDV's network provides 24/7 support to survivors. For help, call 1-866-834-HELP or visit mcedv.org.
About the Liberation Fund:
The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence's Liberation Fund provides survivors with emergency financial assistance for immediate survival needs and long-term rebuilding. Gifts of any size create tangible impact: $50 covers a full tank of gas; $100 funds a security camera; $3,000 supports legal separation costs. Click to donate.
About Sea Bags:
Founded on Portland, Maine's working waterfront, Sea Bags gives retired sails a second life by transforming recycled sail cloth into durable totes, bags, and home goods, each with its own authentic character and history—making every Sea Bags product one of a kind. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, Sea Bags employs over 200 people and remains rooted in Maine. The company is committed to handcrafting products in the USA and putting sustainability into practice by giving retired sails a new purpose and keeping them out of landfills.
Sea Bags' flagship retail store is located on Commercial Street in Portland, Maine, with company headquarters and additional operations across the street at 25 Custom House Wharf on Portland's working waterfront. Today, Sea Bags operates more than 30 company-owned retail stores across the United States, with locations throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Southeast, and the Great Lakes. To learn more about Sea Bags and the stories behind its sails, visit SeaBags.com.
Media Contact
Laurel Getz, Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, 1 2037675963, [email protected], www.mcedv.org
SOURCE Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence
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