Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and this week Lieutenant Vince Lewis and Sergeant Rob Scherer are joined on the 5-0 Info by two victim advocates, Michelle De Alba and Melissa Jimenez, from the Phoenix Family Advocacy Center (FAC).
The Family Advocacy Center is a place where a victim can come in for services related to domestic and sexual violence and other violent crimes. FAC provides comprehensive victim advocacy, counseling, case management, support groups, forensic medical examinations, and investigative interviews.  The center is a free resource for the community.
For teens who are victims of dating violence, the FAC provides a variety of services, to include restraining order filing, safety planning, resources available and education on stopping the cycle of abuse and not continuing it into adulthood. 
To receive services from FAC, law enforcement involvement is not required. The center offers a trauma informed approach that provides the victim with knowledge of their rights. The victim decides what is best for them and how they want to proceed.
A few tips for parents to remember:

Watch what your child is doing on social media

Monitor apps are on mobile devices

Know who the child is talking to and the frequency

Observe the child’s demeanor and recognize changes

Build a rapport with your child

Talk about safety planning

Have respect for each other

More information on the services, visit the Family Advocacy Center website. To receive services, call 602-534-2120 or submit a request online.
The 5-0 Info airs Sunday mornings on KTAR.