Clare’s Law described as ‘really useful’ tool

The BBC interviewed a woman, identified as Danielle for safety reasons, who utilised Clare’s Law after experiencing abuse from her partner.

Danielle met her ex-partner in 2022 through work. Despite initially attempting to overlook his alcohol problem, she eventually faced severe abuse, including being assaulted in her own home. Upon learning about Clare’s Law through her social worker, Danielle applied for information about her partner’s past. Shockingly, she discovered he had a history of violent assaults on numerous other women.

Despite this knowledge, Danielle’s partner continued to pose a threat, breaking into her home and assaulting her again. He was later sentenced to prison for common assault. To protect herself, Danielle implemented security measures such as CCTV and alarms.

In England, the average number of Clare’s Law applications per 100,000 people is 75. However, in the Cleveland Police force area, it skyrockets to 355 per 100,000 people. Abbie Bentley from EVA Women’s Aid in Redcar notes that many victims are unaware of Clare’s Law but often utilise it upon learning about it. She assists victims in making applications weekly.

Detective Superintendent Helen Barker, Cleveland Police’s lead for violence against women and girls, mentioned the importance of Clare’s Law in tackling domestic abuse and described it as a “really useful” tool.