Domestic violence victims can ‘hide’ address under new KY law

COVINGTON, Ky. — When a sufferer of home violence in Northern Kentucky has nowhere else to go, they usually depend on emergency shelters just like the Ion Heart for Violence Prevention in Covington.

The shelter has used its sources to assist 1000’s of survivors per yr again onto their ft, however CEO Christy Burch stated victims confronted risks, allowed by Kentucky legislation, as they constructed their lives exterior of the shelter.

Earlier than Governor Andy Beshear signed the Secure at Residence Act Tuesday, abusers or stalkers have been allowed to search out their victims by looking publicly accessible authorities data.

“Even simply so simple as getting a driver’s license, if you Google these public data, their handle pops up,” Burch stated.

The Secure at Residence Act, SB 79, expands the variety of public data containing addresses that may be altered with a surrogate handle if a survivor applies for this system by way of the Secretary of State’s workplace.

Earlier than, the one addresses that might be hidden have been voter rolls.

The brand new legislation additionally drops a requirement {that a} sufferer possess a protecting order towards somebody and, as a substitute, requires the applicant to file paperwork declaring they worry for his or her security and are not making use of for a surrogate handle for the aim of hiding from prosecution or committing fraud.

“This has the capability to maintain someone protected, and save lives,” Burch stated.

Meg Savage, chief authorized officer with the Kentucky Coalition Towards Home Violence, stated the Secure at Residence program was desperately wanted in Kentucky because it persistently ranks within the highest within the nation for home violence charges.

Roughly 45.3% of girls and 35.5% of males in Kentucky have skilled violence in a home relationship, in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management.

“Those that try to take care of that confidentiality of their location, these are sometimes the instances as a result of they worry, rightfully, that that perpetrator might present up and trigger hurt,” Savage stated.

Burch stated the brand new program might additionally assist victims preserve their very own properties or flats and keep away from touchdown in her shelter.

She stated she would, nonetheless, preserve the Ion Heart doorways open for the numerous victims nonetheless in want.

“Within the final two years we have now offered 25,000 nights of protected shelter and stayed persistently full,” Burch stated. “If we expanded, we might fill these beds. Violence just isn’t OK, and everyone must do one thing to maintain Kentuckians and our Tri-State protected.”

Burch stated The Ion Heart continues to simply accept donations, volunteers, and extra by way of the shelter’s websiteto assist operations.

Burch urged anybody searching for assist to name their Northern Kentucky 24/7 hotline at (859)491-3335.