- Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul was in Appleton on Thursday to promote the Safe at Home program.
- The program aims to protect the privacy of individuals at risk of violence or harassment.
- The Safe at Home program keeps victims' home addresses confidential.
- The program benefits over 2,000 Wisconsinites.
In an effort to enhance safety and confidentiality for victims of crime, today Wisconsin Attorney General, Josh Kaul was in Appleton Thursday (June 6) to help promote the Safe at Home program, an initiative aimed at protecting the privacy of people at risk of violence or harassment.
It was a chance to get the word out and provide training to those in the community who can help enforce it.
The Safe at Home program does what the name suggests, keeps victims safe at home by keeping their home addresses confidential.
Attorney General Josh Kaul spoke about the program at a press conference at the Appleton Police Department.
"We want to make sure as this program unfolds, that people who participate in the program and work with it are taking the steps they need to to ensure that those addresses in fact, remain confidential."
The key component of the program includes providing victims of crime or threats of crime with an alternative address to use for receiving mail, which helps to prevent their real location from being discovered.
“It's making a difference in the lives of over 2000 Wisconsinites and if folks are Eligible for the program, and it can help keep them safe,” adds the Attorney General.
Sergeant Laurie Duven, Victim Services Officer with the Appleton Police Department says this program has seen continued growth since it first rolled out in 2017.
“I work with a lot of crime victims. So from my position, I'm seeing a lot of it. I see officers who are coming to me asking questions about the program.
Sgt Duven adds a high number of people are enrolled in the Safe At Home program in Northeast Wisconsin compared to the rest of the state.
“Generally in the Fox Valley area, we have a fairly high number of folks that are enrolled in the program.”
The program covers a broad spectrum of individuals, including victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking, and those who have received threats due to their roles, such as election workers and judges.
“That's the goal of this to protect the confidentiality of an address and hopefully help keep people safe,” Attorney General Kaul says.
A person must be eligible to participate in the Safe At Home program.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s website, a person is eligible if he or she attests to ALL of the following:
· That he or she is a resident of Wisconsin.
· That at least one of the following applies:
· He or she is a victim of an act or threat of abuse, a parent or guardian of a person who is a victim of an act or threat of abuse, or a resident of a household in which a victim of an act or threat of abuse also resides.
· He or she fears for his or her physical safety or for the physical safety of his or her child or ward.
· That he or she resides or will reside at a location in Wisconsin that is not known by the person who committed the abuse against, or who threatens, the applicant or his or her child or ward.
· That he or she will not disclose his or her actual address to the person who committed the abuse against, or who threatens, the applicant or his or her child or ward.
To enroll, click below to download and complete an application
Completed applications can be faxed to 608-261-8660
If you have any questions regarding Safe at Home, CLICK HERE, OR contact (608) 266-6613 or safeathome@doj.state.wi.us
