Sailors that struggle at home don't have to face it alone. It is important to maintain a healthy, happy personal life so it doesn't affect Sailors' performance in the workplace. The Family Advocacy Program works to prevent those struggles, including domestic abuse, by providing information and training to Sailors and their families. The ultimate goal is to maintain a Sailor's mission readiness. By teaching each Sailor how to prevent and respond to abuse, the Navy can operate more efficiently. "There are many signs of domestic violence, with some being harder to detect," said Lt. Travis Kelley, a Family Advocacy Program (FAP) representative aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). "The signs can range from isolation from friends and family to physical injury." FAP is a Department of Defense (DoD) program that provides domestic and child abuse prevention efforts, early identification and intervention support for victims and treatment for offenders. "FAP assists the Navy by providing victim advocates," said Deanne Noel, educational services facilitator at the Newport News Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC). "The primary goals of the FAP are to prevent domestic violence by encouraging people to examine their own behavior. After self-examination, they then take the steps to learn and practice healthy behaviors. The FAP provides a variety of treatment services to meet the needs of individuals and families. It provides counseling, case management, treatment groups, and refers families to military or civilian resources, as necessary." Noel also said that a lot of victims and abusers have witnessed some form of domestic violence in their childhood, most likely from their parents. "I like helping couples convert their negative energy into positive energy," said Noel. "Maintaining a healthy relationship is an important domestic violence prevention tactic. The impact that domestic violence can have on a family is unimaginable, especially children. Unfortunately, this results in either one of two things. The child either becomes a victim or abuser, or they make sure to never treat anyone that way because they remember how they felt when it happened to them. It is definitely one of those epidemics that can continue and cycle through multiple generations if not treated quickly and properly." Noel's coworkers also enjoy helping Sailors and their partners maintain healthy relationships through couples counseling. "The impact I have on someone's life makes me take pride in what I do," said Bernice Vinson, a counselor for the FAP program at FFSC Newport News. "The FAP is here to give that victim the courage to speak up and receive support. Victims are not alone throughout their personal struggles. The number of people who have been suffering for days, months or even years would surprise you. All it takes is one deep, personal conversation. People know that we are genuine and that we want the best for them." According to Navy.mil, "Navy Leader's Guide for Managing Sailors in Distress", Sailors are required to complete annual training on the dynamics of domestic violence and can do so through in-person trainings from the FFSC or the Domestic Violence Prevention (DVP) mobile application. The Navy's DVP app is a mobile training and resource tool that provides easy access to information and training that satisfies the Navy's General Military Training (GMT) requirements for Domestic Violence Prevention. "This app makes information regarding domestic violence easily accessible," said Kelley. "Technology is definitely the future, so it's great to see that an app was developed since the majority of Sailors are on their phone throughout the day. The information on the mobile app is very thorough. It benefits Sailors because they can access the information anywhere, anytime. This app could be the very thing that saves that Sailor that is going through a crisis." Kelley also said that although the app is primarily geared towards active-duty and reserve service members, civilians and dependents can use it. "The DVP app can be downloaded from several app stores free of charge," said Kelley. "There is no reason that anyone should not have this app. It has had a profound effect on the number of cases that the FAP deals with as well as the severity of the cases. I want all Sailors to reach out to their local FFSC to receive information about the services and reporting options provided. All victims can receive medical treatment from a military provider and disclose abuse to receive confidential support and collaboration with a victim advocate." Kelley noted that victims have two options when reporting domestic abuse. They can either file a restricted or unrestricted report. According navy.mil, "An unrestricted report may be made to security, an ombudsman, or the service member's chain of command and may be followed by administrative action. A restricted report can only be received by a FAP clinician, victim advocate or healthcare provider, who can then offer a restricted report as an option. (If the report is made to anyone else, including an ombudsman, the report becomes unrestricted.) A restricted report allows the victim to seek medical services, counseling, and access other resources without involving the command or security in the incident. FAP and healthcare personnel will discuss the benefits and limitations of a restricted report with the victim so that an informed decision can be made. The victim can utilize advocacy and counseling to explore his/her options and can take their time in deciding when or if he or she wants to involve others. A victim always has the option to change a restricted report to an unrestricted report." According to Noel, the more common classes that Sailors enroll in are Building Effective Anger Management Skills (BEAMS), Building Healthy Relationships, Couples Workshop and Stress Management. Courses are offered daily at each of the eight FFSCs located throughout the Hampton Roads area. The classes also rotate between locations, making it more convenient for those interested. If interested, Sailors can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800- 799-7233 (SAFE) or visit the nearest installation Fleet and Family Support Center to locate a victim advocate in the nearest area.

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