News Clares Law Uk

[Meadowsweet]

'Clare's law' is a scheme that will enable people to request disclosure on whether a partner has a recorded history of violence. It means that if a person is in a new relationship, or is seeing signs of potential violent behaviour, they can ask the police to reveal if their is any previous abuse on their records.

I know that there are many abusers who have never been reported, so it's not a guarantee. But it feels like a step in the right direction and it recognises the right of people to choose to keep themselves safe OVER the right of the abuser to keep what they have done secret/confidential.

It has been trialled in the UK since 2012, and is set to be extended throughout the UK by March 2014.

http://www.channel4.com/news/clares-law-extended-nationwide-domestic-abuse-cases

 

[Abstract]

I thought this was a great step. A lot of people are saying they wouldn't think to check but I have to say that if I had a daughter I would encourage her to do so and I certainly would regardless if I was starting a relationship.

 

[digger]

I keep coming back to thinking about this.

I do think it's a positive step in principle, but there are things that worry me about it. It reminds me too much of CRB checks. I have a lot of problems with those for a number of reasons. They only mean someone doesn't have a record, not that they are safe. I think too much weight is put on them and too much trust in them, that actually they can end up being more damaging because they can give vulnerable people a false sense of security in a person. They can protect the wrong people - the abuser, the employer, but not the abused.

I guess this is my worry with this too. That people may get a false sense of security from it if someone hasn't been reported/recorded before.

I'm not sure what it would show for my ex. The one time the police did charge him, he walked away with a conditional discharge, which I think means it isn't on his record any more.

 

[Abstract]

I understand all these concerns and you certainly are not the only one to see it this way.

I think it is important that they emphasise it is only one more way of checking someone out. In my mind most who should be on won't be; knowing someone isn't on it would not make me feel all is well and I would still be very wary. I would look at it as just reducing some exposure to abusers for some people. If I had a daughter or son I would advice them to always do this as a good safety step in a relationship.

There are a lot of people with records for violent and other crimes and they are likely to continue to expose others to danger. This is at least one possible way that someone get get the information they need earlier on.

CRB is a little different as it is used as a means of providing a clean bill of health so to speak. I don't believe people will be viewing clares law in that way.

Saying that, inevitably there will be a small number of people that put their fears aside and themselves in further danger when they find out there is no record.

 

[Nicolette]

Saying that, inevitably there will be a small number of people that put their fears aside and themselves in further danger when they find out there is no record.

Yes as fundamentally the abused has to firstly come forward and have the courage to go down the path of having someone charged and then it doesn't always stick.