The Law of Clare, or the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), is a significant law in the UK regarding enabling people to establish whether their partner has a domestic abuse history or not. It was implemented to make people make the appropriate decisions regarding their relationships and avoid further destruction or violence. This is referred to as the Clare Wood law, since the law was passed due to the unfortunate killing of a woman known as Clare Wood by her partner in 2009, who had a history of beating women.
Clare Law provides the right to ask and the right to know to the people regarding the previous domestic abuse or violent behaviour of a person. By this scheme, the police may reveal information pertinent to the actual or former partner provided they think that this information will assist someone in avoiding harm.
Clare has two major sections to his Law:
The Right to Inquire: Every person convinced of his or her possible danger, or fearful of someone on his behalf, can request the police to give him or her information.
The Right to Know: Police are at liberty to release information to an individual proactively in case the police suspect that there is a possibility of domestic violence, though such a request has not been put.
In case of a request with reference to Clare Law:
In case disclosure is accepted, the information is solely disclosed to the risked individual, and it cannot be independent or disclosed to other people.
This is accomplished as it is a process that will offer the information in a responsible way that includes the privacy rights and the safety of the people.
The police, under the Law by Clare, may disclose:
This is not aimed at criminalising but protecting people against getting into or coexisting in hazardous relations.
Disclosure of police is one of the significant aspects of protecting vulnerable people. They can also operate together with other legal safeguards, e.g.
All these work towards ensuring that the vulnerable individuals are well cushioned and they have legal protection, other than accessing support services.
At First Law Solicitors, we are aware that there is an urgency and sensitivity to the domestic abuse issues. Our professional family lawyers place themselves at your service to provide:
Clare can provide an essential dossier of information and protection if you are concerned about your partner’s history or feel one of your acquaintances might be under threat because of their past.
Contact First Law Solicitors today so that the expert advice and confident aid to your understanding, as well as its application in the Clare Law or other police disclosure practices.
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