Nottinghamshire Police hail impact of Clare's Law in keeping women safe

Clare’s Law give officers the power to warn people if they are in a relationship with someone who has previously committed acts of violence against a partner.

It also gives individuals the right to ask the police what they know about their partners or ex-partners..

Nottinghamshire Police proactively consider a Clare’s Law report in every case of domestic abuse and said they were the first proactive force in the country to identify those eligible as a ‘right to know’.

If an alleged perpetrator is found to have acted in a similar way in the past, the victim will be given the right to know what happened and when.

Over the last three years the force has made nearly 700 disclosures to individuals deemed to be at risk, the majority of them women.

Detective Inspector Parminder Dhillon, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Clare’s Law is a great tool at our disposal to keep people safe.

“We understand it can be hard for people to come forward and make such a request and that the answer we give may be challenging for them to hear and act upon.

“But this is about empowering people to make the right decisions for themselves and their families. Ultimately we know it may even help us to save somebody’s life.”

Referrals under Clare’s Law may also be made to the police by other agencies and individuals, from housing providers to former partners.

Anybody who thinks someone is at risk can request information by ringing 101 or visiting a police station and asking for details under the domestic violence disclosure scheme, although the disclosure will only ever be made to the person believed to be at risk.

Clare’s Law was introduced in memory of Clare Wood, who was killed in her home in Salford, Greater Manchester, by her former boyfriend in 2009. She had been unaware of his violent history with women.

Her father, Michael Brown, who campaigned successfully for the introduction of the law, died in July.