MADISON, Wis. (WXPR) — The State Assembly acted on the “Safe at Home” Bill Tuesday that would establish a program shielding victim’s addresses from their attackers.
Reports by End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin show that 57% of partner homicides in Wisconsin occur after relationships end. Tri-County Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Director Shellie Holmes says the bill protects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, stalking and human trafficking in Wisconsin. “This has potential to save lives because most domestic violence homicide victims are stalked prior to the murder and many of them happen in their home. So this is meant to interrupt a fatal pattern that we can see especially if a lethality assessment is done that hopefully we can keep more people safe with a bill such as this.”
The program would allow victims to apply to the state Department of Justice for a substitute address that would otherwise be found through public records. The Department of Justice would only be able to release the victim’s physical address under a court order.
The Senate Committee on Judiciary approved the Senate version of the bill. The bill is expected to be voted by the full Senate before spring.
Similar legislation is in place in 34 other states.
by Miranda VanderLeest, WXPR
