Worried about a partner’s past?

Under Clare’s Law, you can ask the police if they have a history of domestic abuse.

Requests are confidential.

Learn more: https://impactfs.co.uk/clares-law/

#Safeguarding #ClaresLaw

Clare’s Law vital in ending domestic violence By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT   A LOCAL working within the community services sector has helped surge a potentially lifesaving domestic violence disclosure scheme in Victoria. Latrobe Valley resident Michelle Smith, who is a senior case manager working with family violence victim survivors and perpetrators for the last eight years, approached East Gippsland Shire Deputy Mayor Sonia Buckley about taking Clare’s Law to the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) – the peak legislative body for Victorian local councils. The motion was successfully passed with more than 94 per cent in favour, meaning the scheme now has backing by all member councils across the state. Clare’s Law enables people to access vital information about a partner’s history of abusive behaviour, well before any further domestic violence incidents happen, and helps those concerned make an informed decision whether to pursue the relationship. It has been implemented in South Australia since 2019 and is currently being pushed to be instated in New South Wales, while it has assisted people in the UK since 2014. Following the UK’s policy, similar models have been passed in New Zealand and Canada over the last decade. With the scheme being pushed through the MAV, they will now liaise with the state government on the motions passed, with Cr Buckley believing this will push “the compass north” to eventually a federal level. However, Cr Buckley believes there also needs to be continued support from representatives across the board. “I’m confident that regional MPs, all MPs for that matter, will get behind this endeavour,” she told the Express. Ms Smith became familiar with Clare’s Law about five years ago, in the midst of fleeing a relationship of family violence herself. “I found out through different means like The Orange Door and the police, that I was actually Woman D (the fourth person to have an IVO on the partner),” she said. “If Clare’s Law was around, the ability for an intimate partner through the domestic violence sharing scheme, namely Clare’s Law, I would’ve been able to seek out if that person had a history of domestic violence, which would have dramatically swayed my decision to continue the relationship.” Ms Smith says that with a majority of intervention programs and supports occurring after the abuse has taken place, this scheme grants the ability to protect potential victims beforehand and save lives. Ms Smith spoke at the August council meeting to highlight the importance of Clare’s Law and why East Gippsland Shire had to push the motion at the next MAV meeting. According to the Gippsland Family Violence Alliance, the latest statistics show East Gippsland has the highest number of family violence incidents of any Local Government Area (LGA) in the state per 100,000 population, with Latrobe second in the state. East Gippsland had 2499 total incidents of family violence from July 2024 to July 2025 – an increase of 24.2 per cent from the previous year – while Latrobe had 3022 total incidents, which was actually a 0.78 per cent decrease from the previous year. These numbers show how incredibly important it is to tackle the issue in these regions specifically. However, Ms Smith also says that rates could be higher due to many cases going undocumented due to a variety of factors. “There’s shame around it. Financially, (victim survivors) don’t feel like they can leave the home, there’s a multitude of reasons why someone doesn’t declare domestic violence,” she said. “Unfortunately, it’s one of those spaces where also the victim gets more interrogated than the actual perpetrator. “Domestic violence is absolutely (an) epidemic in Australia and I think anything that can reduce the incidents of domestic violence (must be done).” Cr Buckley is also the East Gippsland council delegate for the MAV, heavily advocating for its push since being clued in on Clare’s Law. “This law empowers individuals at risk to access information about the partner’s history of violent or abusive behaviour, and this is a practical and lifesaving tool that can help prevent harm and support victim survivors to make informed, safe decisions before it’s too late,” she said. “Family violence is not just a state issue, it’s a local issue. It affects our residents, our families, our services, and our community safety. “Local government is often the first point of contact for people seeking help and we have the responsibility to advocate for measures that protect our most vulnerable.” Cr Buckley acknowledged the concerns of those opposed to Clare’s Law regarding the violation of individual’s privacy rights, but that once someone commits a crime such as domestic violence, they forfeit that right. “The safety of potential victims must come first and our laws should reflect that priority,” she said. She also specified the importance of creating strict parameters and safeguards, in which said perpetrator’s history is only available to the partner and not a third party – this is true of other established schemes in South Australia and other countries. “Access (of) information should be limited to those at genuine risk with robust processes to protect against misuse and to ensure privacy is respected for all parties, except for those who have committed serious offences,” Cr Buckley said. Cr Buckley is also in support of Daniel’s Law, which seeks to develop a publicly accessible sex offender register in Australia, freely available to the community. A national petition has also surfaced over the last few months, calling for the House of Representatives to call on the Cabinet to establish an Australia-wide framework mirrored on Clare’s Law. The petition calls for the framework to be informed by people with lived experience of domestic violence to ensure it’s effective and responsive, and that funding and resources be allocated to support its operation in the states and territories from the federal government. The petition closed on October 23 with a total of 112,245 signatures.

LV Express: Clare’s Law vital in ending domestic violence #News #ClaresLaw #DanielsLaw

It has been 11 years since Clare Wood’s father, Michael Brown, won a campaign to ensure that victims were informed of any previous history of violent or abusive behaviour.

Read all about #ClaresLaw here 👉 buff.ly/UIs1Hv1

Survivors in Leeds have driven a vital update to Clare’s Law 💪💜 #ClaresLaw #SurvivorsVoices #DomesticAbuseAwareness

Kamer dringt aan op wet waarbij vrouwen informatie krijgen over gewelddadig verleden partner Vrouwen die vermoeden dat hun partner een gewelddadig verleden heeft, moeten daarover informatie kunnen opvragen bij de politie. Dat vinden D66, GroenLinks-PvdA, VVD en NSC.

Goed voorstel om femicide te voorkomen.

Kamer dringt aan op wet waarbij vrouwen informatie krijgen over gewelddadig verleden mannelijke partner.
Een NL-variant van de Engelse #ClaresLaw.

#partnergeweld #femicide
#ClaresLaw

www.volkskrant.nl/politiek/kam...

Signed

Pass it on

#auspol #women #violence #law #reform
#ClaresLaw #TheGoodWarriors #BeTheChange
#DomesticViolence
www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/Pages/ePe...

What is Clare's Law? - Clare's Law A police-run scheme that lets you, or any member of the public formally request or receive usually confidential information about a romantic partner’s criminal history.

Stop mistreating women! clares-law.com/what-is-clar... #Clareslaw

This Sunday take some time to act for women & girls ✊

See our #RespectWomen campaign feat. 16 topics with actions like #streetharassment, non paying fathers, #spiking, #Sudan, #ClaresLaw & more

👇
brightonsisters.wordpress.com/16daysofactivi…

This Sunday take some time to act for women & girls ✊

See our #RespectWomen campaign feat. 16 topics with actions like #streetharassment, non paying fathers, #spiking, #Sudan, #ClaresLaw & more 👇

brightonsisters.wordpress.com/16daysofactivi…

Clare's Law - Domestic Abuse Disclosure Scheme

Clare’s Law is the Domestic Abuse Disclosure Scheme which gives you the right to ask police if you are concerned that you, or someone close to you, is at risk of domestic abuse.

More info here >> clares-law.com

#WhiteRibbonUK #Clareslaw #DVDS #PleaseShare

Any and all women in het relationships should invoke this law. Women and their children are not safe around men. #ClaresLaw #16Days

#ClaresLaw gives you the right to know if your partner has a known violent past

Sussex Police’s disclosure rate (the rate at which they respond to Clare’s Law) is 70%

Although this should be higher, this is up from 56% in 2023

#16Days #16Actions #RespectWomen #ClareWood #WhiteRibbon #IDEVAW2024

This is so important.

With the majority of women who experience domestic, sexual abuse & stalking do so at the hands of a partner or ex.

You all have the right to know if your partner has a known history of violence 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

#ClaresLaw #16Days

Make an application under Clare's Law:

This link is for Sussex Police:
www.sussex.police.uk/rqo/request/...

#Respectwomen #EndMaleViolenceAgainstWomenAndGirls
#16Days #16Actions #ClaresLaw #ClareWood #WhiteRibbon

"My mum was always singing, which I loved. She’d sing non-stop all the time. I used to say ‘mum, you should be on the X Factor’, & she’d just laugh. She was creative, she loved art"

Maddy Wood, on her memories of her mum Clare
#ClareWood #ClaresLaw
brightonsisters.wordpress.com/action-twelv...

DYK - Clare's Law and equivalents in other countries let you, or a concerned parent, family member or friend, ask police if someone’s partner has a history of abuse. If there’s risk, police can warn the person in danger.

#ClaresLaw #IPV #MVAWG #DA #CoerciveControl

You can ask police if a current or ex-partner has a history of abusive behaviour - it's your right under #ClaresLaw

#SafeInSalford can help you if you're experiencing domestic abuse - email us at info@safeinsalford.org.uk or give us a call on 0161 793 3232 and talk to us 💜

Vogue magazine with Gisele Pelicot gracing the cover. Titled “No More Shame”.

I applaud anyone that shares their story of Intimate Partner Violence (any gender). Your strength and bravery will help so many others; more than you will ever know. 💜#16DaysOfActivism #GiselePelicot #MontrealMassacre #GeorginasLaw #ClaresLaw

Kayleigh courageously chose to speak out to warn other women. She wants survivors to know they’re not alone and urges everyone to use Clare’s Law, a vital tool to check if a partner has a history of abuse.

#ClaresLaw

TikTok - Make Your Day

Clares law. Created after a young lady named Clate was murdered by her abusive partner. Who already had a very long criminal history of domestic abuse Make sure you know what it is, how to request a check under Clares law and when.

#clareslaw #domesticabuseprevention

vm.tiktok.com/ZGdYd4Gwe/