Iowa Secretary of State highlights ‘Safe at Home’ program

DES MOINES, Iowa (KTTC) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is highlighting the state’s “Safe at Home” program.

The program is meant to help sexual assault survivors stay safe by creating substitute addresses and removing their addresses from public records.

Secretary Pate said combating sexual violence requires multiple agencies helping, but also citizens speaking up to help victims.

“These bad actors need to be put away and we need to stop them,” Pate said. ”Part of that is what law enforcement does. Part of that is also what our society has to do. We have to step up and say hey this is not acceptable behavior. Not acceptable behavior. I don’t want to over play the old line, no means no, but it still works.”

When asked about Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird halting funds for emergency contraceptive for victims, Pate said he will continue to focus on all the resources they currently have available to them.

“We work with what we are given, and we try to make things work the best we can,” he said. “The attorney general and the legislature have got to set policies, but in the meantime, we’re doing things like raising awareness. We’re pulling out every tool in our toolbox to make sure we are getting people the help they need.”

Pate said they are seeing increased cases of sexual assaults and he encourages victims to reach out to the resources the state has.

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