- April 23, 2024
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For the past 28 years, the Flagler County Family Life Center has been the only certified domestic violence service in the county. Now, the center has received another certification: On Jan. 6, Executive Director Trish Giaccone received her certificate from the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, notifying her the Family Life Center is also a certified Rape Crisis Center.
“When we got the certificate, it said 'certified since Nov. 18, 2015,'” Giaccone said. “I didn't know I could have been bragging before Christmas.”
The certification is the icing on the cake for the center staff, who began providing sexual violence services two years ago.
“We have been working hard for this certification,” Giaccone said. “We wanted to provide the community with the services it needs.”
The entire staff is cross-trained, including the maintenance man and the finance director, to answer phones and help individuals.
"Receiving this certification is testament to the Family Life Center’s commitment to providing no-cost services to individuals and families experiencing domestic or sexual violence, “ said Rebecca DeLorenzo, Chair of Family Life Center Board of Directors in a press release. “Our Executive Director Trish Giaccone and her staff work hard every day to protect, empower and support some of Flagler County’s most vulnerable residents in our community. Their willingness to obtain this additional training and certification will give survivors the compassionate help they need quickly and close to home, while filling a vital service gap in Flagler County.”
Outreach programs are vital
Giaccone and her staff don't sit inside the shelter in Bunnell waiting for the phone to ring, or victims to come to them. A big part of their focus is getting out into the community and talking about a subject that is uncomfortable to talk about.
The staff goes into the high schools and talks to the students about healthy dating, the definition of sexual assault, and how not saying “no” doesn't mean “yes.”
“Last year I was in the media center and they merged two small classes for me to speak to,” Giaccone said. “While I was there specifically to speak to them, kids just passing through the media center were stopping and asking questions, watching the video. We were engaging students that weren't involved in those classes. They were so thirsty for the information.”
The mother of three daughters and a son, Giaccone understands concerns parents could have. She encourages teens to take the discussions home to their parents.
“As a mother I would expect two things from someone talking about this subject," Giaccone said. "I would want them to have expertise, which we have, to have the conversation, and someone who is respectful of the family unit. I never want a family to be offended by what we have to say, but I want to be able to say what has to be said, so the kids are safer.”
Whose fault is it?
The ongoing battle is the idea that the violence is the victim's fault, a myth the Family Life Center wants to debunk.
“If someone steals your purse and you are mugged, they never say, 'What did you do to get mugged?'" Giaccone said. "But when it comes to sexual assault, the questions are: What was the victim wearing? How much had she been drinking? And what time of night? None of that is pertinent to the fact that this person was the victim of a crime."
Who is at risk?
There is no typical victim, according to Giaccone. While most are women, male victims have come to the center. The youngest the Family Life Center has worked with was 15 years old, but there are those in their 60s and all ages in between.
"We worked with 69 victims of rape in the last year and a half,” Giaccone said. “The stereotype is a rape occurs in a dark alley at 2 in the morning, but more often that not it's the someone that we know and trust. Someone invites you in for a cup of coffee and later you are wondering, 'Did that really happen to me?'”
For the first time, the victim is in charge
Giaccone wants the victim to be in charge. When they come to the shelter, the decision of whether she wants an exam, or law enforcement involved, is entirely up to them.
The shelter includes an exam room that looks like any other OB/GYN office, where a nurse will collect the evidence needed if law enforcement does become involved.
“In the exam room, the nurse explains in advance the process of the exam, so the victim is at ease with what is about to happen," Giaccone said. "She has control to stop it at any time. We are giving control back to the victim over an event that wasn't in her control.”
Some of the people who come in for help were assaulted years ago, but are ready to talk to someone.
“Something may have triggered an event that happened years ago,” Giaccone said. “Coming to a strange place to talk to strangers is one of the most horrifying things.”
Community support
The 32-bed facility of dorm-style rooms, common areas, and a kitchen at the Family Life Center is too small for the growing numbers, and the board of directors is working on a five-year plan.
For the time being, the Family Life Center is working with what they have, and are appreciative of groups like the Leadership Flagler 23 group who have moved fences to allow the facility to use all of their land for families in residence, and upgrading equipment and the basketball court. This year, the Flagler Sportfishing Club also named the Family Life Center as their charity of choice for their annual fishing tournament.
A personal mission
Giaccone is passionate about her job, partially due to the fact that she is also a survivor, and the joy she gets recounting the successes her team has had, and the difference they have been able to make. Her staff has an average of 4.2 years employment with her, a high number in this field.
“We have all been touched by this," Giaccone said. "All of my staff has been, or has been close to someone affected by domestic violence or rape.”
