It will be one year this month since Clare’s Law was rolled out across the UK, although it has been piloted in Nottingham since 2012.
What Is Clare’s Law?
Clare’s Law was introduced to enable people to check if their partner (new or existing) has a history of domestic violence. It is hoped that knowing this information will enable the person to consider whether or not they are at risk from their partner, and to seek support from agencies with separating from their partner should they wish to.
The law was introduced following the murder of 36 year old Clare Wood in 2009 by her ex-partner Mr Appleton. Mr Appleton had a history of violence against women. If this information had been known to Miss Wood, her death could perhaps have been prevented.
The Nottingham Evening Post has reported that over the past year, more than 1,300 disclosures about domestic violence were made by police in the UK. This is only a small fraction of the ongoing issue of domestic violence, but it is good news that people are using this facility.
If you are concerned that you do not know your partner’s true past, then please use Clare’s Law. It is there to provide you with protection.
The majority of people may know their partner has been convicted, but do you know the real reason or just what your partner has told you?
Clare’s Law can be accessed by contacting the police, who will carry out checks to show whether or not a person may be at risk of domestic violence from their partner. The police will then consider whether or not to disclose this information.
How Nelsons can help
If you are in a relationship and a victim of domestic violence, then it is important that you seek help immediately. If you feel unable to end your relationship due to concerns about your partner’s behaviour, then it may be possible to seek a non-molestation order to provide yourself and any children of the family with protection.
If you require any information in relation to a violent or abusive relationship, or about seeking a protection order, please contact our expert Family Law team who specialise in domestic violence and private children law on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.