On average, every week in Australia, a woman is tragically murdered by her current or former partner. However, a new program is set to make a difference.
The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, soon to be announced by the New South Wales Police Minister, aims to empower individuals by providing information about their partner’s history of domestic violence.
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On today’s episode of This Arvo In Sydney, host Sacha Barbour Gatt and LiSTNR Investigations editor Clair Weaver explained the domestic violence disclosure scheme in NSW.
This is known as the Right to Ask model, which means any individual who feels at risk or who has experienced violence by a partner can apply for information about whether their partner has a documented history of domestic violence,”
Weaver said.
She said perpetrators would have a pattern of controlling and abusive behaviours, so this scheme could provide “early read warning flags”.
The program was based on the UK’s scheme, known as Clare’s Law and was first established in 2021 in the name of Clare Wood.
Wood was murdered by a man she met on Facebook whom police knew had a history of violence against former partners.
The scheme allows NSW Police to disclose information about the partner’s prior domestic violence offences to the applicant via a hotline or an online portal,”
she said.
Weaver said there would be strict privacy rules and facilitated referrals to domestic violence support services.
The scheme is expected to be subject to review after 12 months.
Similar programs have been implemented in the UK, New Zealand, and Scotland. South Australia is currently the only other Australian state with a domestic violence disclosure scheme.
Hosted by Sacha Barbour, This Arvo in Sydney is a 10 to 12 minute daily news podcast made just for Sydney! Listen now on the Listnr app.