For victims of stalking, domestic violence, sexual assault and others who fear for their safety, confidentiality is among their most important priorities. If the person escapes and the perpetrator is able to find them at their new address, it’s almost a near certainty the abuse will continue.
This is why Safe at Home exists. The program was created in 2006 to provide a statewide address confidentiality program that would be administered by the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.
It works by giving participants a legal substitute address – a Post Office box – to use in place of their physical address. The program participant can then go about his or her daily life without leaving traces of where they can be found, keeping their aggressor at bay.
Minnesota is one of more than 30 states that utilizes this program, and our Safe at Home version currently serves more than 2,600 individuals in more than 1,000 households.
It’s safe to say that Safe at Home has been a Minnesota success story. But some problems have come up along the way. Those who have interacted with the program over the past decade have given feedback that will make the program better and more efficient. This is why I am sponsoring bipartisan legislation that will provide more clarity and transparency to Safe at Home; provisions that will ultimately result in more peace of mind for those utilizing the program.
Secretary of State Steve Simon recently testified in favor of my bill in the Minnesota House Public Safety and Security Policy and Finance Committee, and it was overwhelmingly approved.
Through no fault of their own, we have thousands of victims in our state who fear for their safety – if not their lives. My Safe at Home legislation will strengthen the successful confidentiality program, and I’m hopeful it will receive debate on the Minnesota House floor in the coming weeks.
As always, I am interested in your feedback. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at Rep.Kathy.Lohmer@House.MN or contact my office at 651-296-4244. You can also send mail to my office address: 501 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.