Domestic violence victims get hand with address confidentiality

MANATEE — A rarely used state program could mean the difference in life and death for victims of domestic violence.

Address confidentiality is designed to protect survivors of domestic violence who are at high risk of being murdered. The state program provides a domestic violence victim with an anonymous mailing address and helps ensure that public records can’t be used by a stalker.

To qualify, a person must apply through a domestic violence center, complete a questionnaire from the Florida Attorney General’s Office and be willing to move.

The program is one of the most powerful tools available to help victims of domestic violence, said Laurel Lynch, executive director of Hope Family Services in Manatee County, which provides shelter and counseling for survivors of domestic violence.

But fewer than 700 people are enrolled statewide in the well-established program, begun by a legislative act in 1998.

“One of the things we know about domestic violence is that there are clues when someone is not just a bully but homicidal,” Lynch said. “Ninety-five percent of domestic violence homicide victims never sought help at a domestic violence shelter.”

One of those who did seek help from a domestic violence center says address confidentiality has allowed her to lead a near-normal life, without having to constantly look over her shoulder in fear.

Once accepted into the program, a person receives the confidential mailing address in Tallahassee, and the Attorney General’s Office staff handles forwarding of mail from the state capitol to the client’s local address.

The client also receives a card from the state showing they are enrolled in the address confidentiality program.

When applying for governmental services, such as driver’s licenses, voter registration or utility service, the client can present the card to keep their name off the public record.

Lynch calls address confidentiality one of the “tools in the tool belt” of options counselors explain to each of the 2,000 clients who seek help at Hope.

The counseling session can last an hour or two, depending on the clients, their questions and situation.

If the client seems to be in a potentially lethal situation, and wants to seek address confidentiality, the Hope staff will help with the application and submit it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office.

“Our staff has been trained by the attorney general’s staff on the program, how to apply and what’s necessary,” Lynch said. Once the application is submitted, the conversation opens up between the state and the client.

The Attorney General’s office does not require background checks, but applicants are required to review and sign a series of questions.

Sex offenders, sexual predators and convicted felons are not allowed to participate in the address confidentiality program.

“The purpose of the statement is that Florida statutes require individuals convicted of certain crimes to register with the Department of Law Enforcement their actual permanent residence address, therefore making it public, thus eliminating our ability to enter them into the ACP program and protecting their address,” according to the Florida Attorney General’s Office.