Abuse survivors get protection under new state program

Abuse survivors get protection under new state program

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Advocates for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse in eastern Iowa say they welcome a new state program that guards victims’ home addresses. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office will begin the Safe at Home program on Jan. 1. It lets survivors of sexual abuse, domestic abuse, trafficking and stalking to substitute a street address on public documents, such as a driver’s license or utility bills.

Each substitute address will be the same, but each survivor who participates will get a different apartment number.

Mail addressed for the substitute addresses will be delivered to the Secretary of State’s office and forwarded to participants’ confidential addresses.

Nelly Hill, a coordinator for Cedar Rapids-based Waypoint Services, said by substituting the address, it’s less likely an abuser can find a victim.

“I think this is going to give an extra tool to lower the risk of being harmed further by domestic violence,” Hill told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald .

Carrie Melton, executive director of the Riverview Center, called the new program, “A great resource to pass along to survivors.” Riverview Center, which helps sexual-assault survivors in 14 counties in eastern Iowa, will be sure to inform clients about the new option, she said.

Iowa is the 34th state to establish such a program. Among Iowa’s neighbors, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska have similar programs and Wisconsin offers an address confidentiality program for voter registration.

Applications for the Iowa program are being accepted online.