Safe house

A safe house (also spelled safehouse) is a dwelling place or building whose unassuming appearance makes it an inconspicuous location where one can hide out, take shelter, or conduct clandestine activities.

Historical usage

It may also refer to:

in the jargon of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a secure location, suitable for hiding witnesses, agents or other persons perceived as being in danger
a place where people may go to avoid prosecution of their activities by authorities. Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad has been described as a "safe house".
a location where a trusted adult, family or charity organization provides a haven for victims of domestic abuse (see also: men and/or women's shelter or refuge)
Right of asylum
sanctuary in medieval law
sanctuary in modern times
Church asylum

Safe houses were an integral part of the Underground Railroad, the network of safe house locations that were used to assist slaves in escaping to the primarily northern free states in the 19th century United States. Some houses were marked with a statue of an African-American man holding a lantern, called "the Lantern Holder".^[1]^[2]

Safe houses also provided a refuge for victims of Nazi persecution and for escaping prisoners of war. Victims, such as Anne Frank and her family, were harbored clandestinely for extended periods of time. Other Jewish victims that were hidden from the Germans include Philip Slier and his extended family and friends.^[3]

References

^ Matheson, Kathy (23 February 2008). "Man amasses black history treasure trove -". USA Today. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
^ Frost, Karolyn Smardz (2007). I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0-374-16481-2.
^ Slier, Philip "Flip"; Deborah Slier (2008). Hidden Letters (illustrated ed.). New York: Star Bright Books. pp. 10, 159, 160, 161. ISBN 978-1887734882.

Sources

Slier, Philip "Flip" & Slier, Deborah. Hidden Letters: The Hidden Letters of Flip Slier. Star Bright Books, 2008. ISBN 1887734880.

[1] Matheson, Kathy (23 February 2008). "Man amasses black history treasure trove -". USA Today. Retrieved 28 May 2010.

[frost-2] Frost, Karolyn Smardz (2007). I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0-374-16481-2.

[HiddenLetters10-3] Slier, Philip "Flip"; Deborah Slier (2008). Hidden Letters (illustrated ed.). New York: Star Bright Books. pp. 10, 159, 160, 161. ISBN 978-1887734882.

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v t e Espionage
Agents Assets	Agent handling Agent provocateur Cover Agent Double agent Field agent Mole Resident spy Sleeper agent Spymaster Cutout Cooptee
Analysis	Intelligence assessment competing hypotheses
Devices and communications	Burn notice Concealment device Covert listening device Cryptography Computer and network surveillance Cyber espionage Dead drop Invisible ink Numbers station One-way voice link Phone surveillance Short-range agent communications Steganography microdot Surveillance tools
Tradecraft and techniques	Canary trap Front organization Limited hangout
Operations	Chinese intelligence activity abroad Chinese espionage in the United States Cold War espionage Recruitment Black operation black bag wetwork Eavesdropping SIGINT MASINT False flag Industrial espionage Interpersonal (HUMINT) intelligence interrogation safe house COINTELPRO MINARET SHAMROCK FVEY Sexpionage Stay-behind Sting operation Surveillance Global Mass Targeted surveillance

Historical usage

See also

References

Sources