By TIPHERET PEÑA / Murphy News Service
In honor of the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Minnesota on Thursday, Secretary of State Steve Simon released a statement reminding Minnesotans about the Secretary’s Safe at Home address confidentiality program.
Safe at Home helps Minnesotans who wish to keep their physical residence address private for personal reasons or safety reasons by sending their mail to a P.O. Box. Mail sent to the P.O. Box is then forwarded to the physical addresses of the participants by the Secretary of State.
“The Safe at Home program has assisted thousands of Minnesotans since its inception and is critical to ensuring protection for victims of domestic violence,” Simon said.
Safe at Home partners with organizations across the state to assist those interested in enrolling in the program. Application assistants, employed by these organizations, meet face-to-face with potential participants to discuss that person’s safety concerns and to determine whether Safe at Home is right for them.
Simon has made increasing awareness about Safe at Home one of his top priorities as Secretary of State. Earlier this year, he worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Mark Dayton in May, to strengthen the program by providing courts with a uniform framework when working with Safe at Home participants.
Simon has visited a number of Safe at Home partner organizations while traveling the state, including those in Albert Lea, Duluth, Mankato, Winona and Rochester, among others.
“I encourage any Minnesotan who fears for their safety to meet with an application assistant and determine if enrolling in the Safe at Home program is an appropriate step to take,” Simon said. “I’ve learned firsthand while traveling the state that this service has saved lives and I will work day and night to strengthen it as long as I’m Secretary of State.”
To find an application assistant in your area, visit www.sos.state.mn.us. Please note that individuals can monitor your computer and internet use. If you are in danger, please use a safer computer. For additional safety guidelines, click here.
Tipheret Peña is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.