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Address confidentiality program protects domestic violence survivors

By Diana Fedinec

Safe at HomeDomestic violence and family abuse cases have risen across the nation and in many parts of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Southwest is committed to ensuring the safety and health of its students and employees and the communities we serve by offering support services and resources.

On behalf of the Secretary of State Tre Hargett, the college is providing information about Tennessee’s Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program. The program was enacted by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2018 and is open to all victims of domestic abuse, stalking, human trafficking, rape, sexual battery, or any other sexual offense at no cost.

Safe at Home protects the confidentiality of a participant’s address through a ‘substitute’ address as their official mailing address. The address can be used for all state and local government purposes and for their children, including public school or public benefits enrollment (with few exceptions). By doing so, the participant’s confidential address will not appear in public records relating to either themselves or their children. Under current Tennessee Public Records Act, most state and local records are public and available for anyone’s inspection.

Below is a quick reference guide on the Safe at Home program. For more detailed information, visit the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program website. Contact Southwest’s Office of Human Resources at humanresources@southwest.tn.edu for more information.

If you are experiencing circumstances affecting your physical, mental and emotional well-being and need counseling or help with resources, please contact Southwest’s Mental Health Counselor, Kimberly Weddington, at kweddington@southwest.tn.edu.

Safe at Home