NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Secretary of State Tre Hargett is issuing a reminder about two critical resources provided through the Secretary of State’s office — the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program and Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking — to strengthen protections for Tennessee victims and families. 

“Every Tennessean should know our office is here to support victims of horrific crimes like domestic abuse, stalking, human trafficking, and other sexual offenses in April and throughout the year,” said Secretary Hargett. “Our  Safe at Home and Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking programs provide lifesaving protections for victims and their families; they will also make our communities and Tennessee safer.”     

Launched in 2019, the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality program prevents abusers from locating victims through public records by providing approved applicants with a substitute address for legal purposes — including voter registration, driver’s licenses, and other government services — at no cost. Anyone in the household can use this substitute address — including children. Safe at Home has served 1,034 participants, of which 707 remain active. 

Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking launched in February. This program engages corporations and private entities through voluntary training efforts to identify, prevent, and combat human trafficking in communities across Tennessee. Each participating business will adopt a zero-tolerance policy, complete annual training, and encourage employee engagement. Sharing these best practices will help combat human trafficking by increasing public awareness across various sectors and communities.

Additional information about the Safe at Home program — including participant eligibility and how to become a partner agency — can be found at https://sos.tn.gov/SafeatHome.

For more information about Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking, or if your organization wants to participate, please visit https://tbat.tnsos.gov.