Kentucky looks to grow program helping domestic violence survivors protect their privacy

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky's secretary of state is hoping to grow a state program that helps survivors of domestic violence keep their information private.

The commonwealth repeatedly ranks as one of the worst states for domestic violence. According to state data, more than 32,000 incidents of domestic violence were recorded in Kentucky in 2023.

Secretary of State Michael Adams said even voter rolls can play a dangerous role in domestic violence situations because they reveal addresses. Kentucky has had an address confidentiality program since 2013, but Adams said it had been neglected when he took office.

"When I inherited the program in 2020, it only had 10 people on it out of a state of 4.5 million people," he told LEX 18 News. "We're No. 1 in the country for domestic abuse and we only had 10 people on it."

Adams worked with the state legislature to create the Safe At Home program in 2023, which keeps several hundred people's addresses secret on voter rolls and other state and local documents. He wants to expand that program to reach more survivors and help them keep their information safe and protected from their abuser.

The program has three main functions, according to the Secretary of State's Office. Survivors enrolled in the program use the office's address on all public records rather than their own, which is masked on all local and state public records. The office then forwards mail to the person's confidential address. They will also have their address hidden on publicly-available voter records, and are eligible to vote via mail-in absentee ballot.

The state has also made the process of enrollment in the program more accessible, Adams said, by removing the requirement to provide a protective order from a judge. Instead, those wishing to enroll in the program are asked to provide a statement explaining their need to conceal their address as part of the application process.

The Secretary of State's Office said by expanding the program, it now incorporates state and local agencies. Certification in the program lasts for four years unless it is canceled or withdrawn before the expiration date.

"Because if you're being abused, the last thing you want to do is face that person in the courtroom and hire an attorney to deal with it," he said.

To learn more about the Safe At Home program, the enrollment process and resources available to survivors of domestic violence, click here.

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