Survivor proposes ‘P.E.A.C.H’ alert system to combat domestic abuse

A survivor of domestic abuse from Northampton is appealing to the public to support her new “life-saving” alert system by signing an online petition.

Eve Mason, aged 37, was a victim of stalking by her abusive former partner, and it took her two years to safely leave that relationship. Her abuser was later convicted for his actions. In light of October being domestic violence awareness month, Eve has chosen to share her story as she continues on the path to recovery and healing.

She has created a petition aimed at revising domestic violence laws to create a safer environment for future generations. Eve emphasises the importance of having immediate access to pertinent information about a potential partner’s history of domestic abuse when starting a new relationship. She believes that the early stages of a relationship are when the risk of abusive behaviour, such as love bombing, is most significant, and having this information early on can significantly reduce the chances of falling victim to controlling and coercive behaviours. She said:

“As a survivor of domestic abuse, I understand the importance of having access to information that can help protect individuals from entering potentially dangerous relationships.

During my journey to recovery and healing, I learned about Clare’s Law – a legislation designed to empower individuals, by allowing them to enquire about their partner’s history of domestic violence from the police.

I was hopeful this would be a valuable tool in ensuring personal safety. Clare’s Law is a phenomenal tool in prevention, but my own experience has shown response time for obtaining this information can be frustratingly delayed.”

Recognising that Clare’s Law, which provides this information, can be slow to process requests, Eve has proposed a traffic light system called P.E.A.CH (Perpetrator Early Alert Check). This system would provide an instant indication of a new partner’s domestic abuse records: green for no record, amber for historical, mild, or pre-sentenced domestic or violent crimes, and red for high-risk domestic violence or abuse records.

Each indicator would offer relevant advice based on the level of risk, and this online check would serve as an initial indicator while awaiting an official Clare’s Law report. It would not disclose legal information but would act as an advisory and pre-warning service.

In an interview, Eve stressed that the early stage of a relationship is the most crucial, and the delay in Clare’s Law reporting, which takes 28 days, can pose difficulties. She shared her personal experience of not receiving the report for months when dating someone new and how this lack of information made her unable to trust that person, leading to the end of their relationship.

Eve believes that her alert system would benefit not only abuse victims and survivors but everyone, including her daughter, who will one day navigate the complex world of dating where unhealthy relationships may be at play. She sees this initiative as a step towards building a safer future for all children and potentially saving lives by preventing abuse perpetrators from committing murder and victims or survivors from succumbing to suicide.