A safe place for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse and human trafficking opened Thursday in Tucker.
The Family Protection Center — the first of its kind in metro Atlanta — will provide counseling services, forensic interviews and other services to victims.
The facility, houses in the headquarters for DeKalb County Fire and Rescue, consolidates support resources in a single location.
“No longer do victims of terrible crimes have to go from place to place to receive services after a tragic occurrence,” said DeKalb District Attorney Robert James. “Victims of neglect to human trafficking now have a central place to receive countless services and one-on-one care from highly skilled professionals right here in DeKalb County.”
First responders, including police and firefighters, will be able to refer crime victims to the center for assistance.
The center will initially be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during weekdays, but the county plans to eventually keep it open 24 hours a day.
“Two of the top responsibilities of a government is to provide protection for its citizens and to improve the quality of life of its citizens,” said Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May. “The governing authority (of DeKalb) is providing the essential resources to equip this facility and the professional staff so it can be of maximum benefit to the victims of violent crimes.”
Funding for the center comes from a combination of federal stimulus money and forfeiture money collected by DeKalb police.
The center is run in partnership with government and nonprofit agencies.
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