Attorney General Dana Nessel Speaks with Baraba Kettle Gundluch Shelter and Other Area Survivor Advocates Ahead of Address Confidentiality Program Act Implementation

While meeting with regional stakeholders and domestic violence advocates at the Copper Country Mental Health Institute last Friday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, discussed the soon to be available Address Confidentiality Program Act. The act was passed in December 2020, and aims to protect domestic violence victims, and children impacted by violence in a household, by protecting their address and contact information within court and other public documents. The ACP program would provide survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking a designated address that can be used by government agencies, employers, schools, or institutions whenever an address is required on paperwork.

“When you have an individual who has managed to get away from their assailant, and start their life anew. A new address and a new place to live. The last thing that they need, is that by engaging in a simple act like renewing their driver’s license or registering to vote, or apply for state assistance. That it is easier for their assailant to track them down and potentially harm them. And so we think this program is going to go a long ways toward protecting those individuals.” – Dana Nessel, Attorney General, State of Michigan

The program is anticipated to become available to Michigan residents next month. The attorney general said that the act had a number of hurdles before getting started.

“We’ve been waiting a long time to implement this act, it was passed by the legislature a few years ago. But like anything, there’s a lot of technology involved, so it’s taken quite a bit of time to put this together. But at long last it’s being kicked off.” – Dana Nessel, Attorney General, State of Michigan

In addition to discussing the implementation of the Address Confidentiality Program Act, Nessel spoke with area leaders about what her office is working on for protecting survivors of human trafficking, and sexual crimes. Saying that the state needs to more with the data being collected, and put that knowledge into action that protects Michigan residents.

Find more information on the Address Confidentiality Program Act