Safe at Home debuts Saturday

Story of domestic abuse fear helps lead to new state program to protect victims.

A new state program that has its origins in a story told in La Crosse state senator Jennifer Shilling’s office begins this week.

Abuse survivors will have a new tool to avoid their tormentors under a new state law.  They’ll receive confidential mailing addresses from the state of Wisconsin.  

It’s the Safe at Home Program, starting on Saturday.  

Comes, in part, after a story told to Shilling by a woman who had moved dozens of times to escape a cult-like group that had forced her to marry at 14.  

The state’s website for the program says enrollment in Safe at Home allows participants to use and receive mail at an assigned address instead of their actual address.

Safe at Home then forwards the mail to the victim’s actual address.

Safe at Home is for victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, stalking and threats as well as for the parents, family members or partners of victims.

The victims do not need to provide documentation of the threat.  

There are 34 states that already have such a program.  

The program is free is available through the state justice department.