Key Point:
- People in New South Wales may soon be able to tell if their partner has a history of violence.
- The Right To Ask scheme is accessible online and by phone.
- South Australia already has such a plan in place.
People in New South Wales may soon be able to find out if their partners have a history of abusive or violent crimes by phone or online portals.
The New South Wales government has said it will implement the scheme if it wins state elections in March, allowing police to disclose information about partners’ previous related offenses to individuals.
NSW Prime Minister Dominic Perrotet, who unveiled a rights-seeking rights scheme on Monday, said women and men were injured or killed in situations where the perpetrator had an unknown domestic and violent criminal record. He said there were too many stories about what he did.
“None of us want to see someone we love hurt by domestic violence and wish we had known about our partner’s past sooner.
This initiative is known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS).
What are domestic violence advocacy groups saying?
Delia Donovan, CEO of Domestic Violence New South Wales, said the scheme would make a difference as long as it was developed in consultation with survivors of victims and support services. Told.
“We have some details to work out, but we are very positive about some of the steps we will take with the Prime Minister,” she said.
It would be meaningful if it can be carried out safely and correctly after consultation.”
She ensures that 150 services across the state are represented, that their voices are heard, and that survivors of victims and their clients know how to access the scheme and are safe to do so. I said I want to
“Anything that saves lives is effective.”
Full Stop Australia CEO Hayley Foster welcomed the plan.
“We are very excited that the New South Wales government has taken real, concrete steps and decisions to increase the safety of women and those affected by violence in our state. should be congratulated.”
She said the main factor is accessibility.
“What really makes this work is the fact that people can make that application online or by phone.
What prompted it?
The scheme is based on in England.
Introduced in 2014, the law aims to provide information to help protect someone from being a victim of domestic violence.
Claire Wood is a 36-year-old woman from Yorkshire who was murdered in 2009 by her ex-boyfriend.
She was unaware that the man she was having an affair with had a criminal record.
She filed a statement with the police and received a restraining order, but the police were aware of her ex-boyfriend’s history of violence, which Ms. Wood was not aware of.
At the time, data protection laws allowed former abusers to keep their criminal records confidential.
How does this scheme work in other states?
In South Australia, where DVDS was piloted in 2018, more than 1000 people are seeking information about their current or former partners’ criminal records.
Publication of information is not immediate and may take up to two weeks.
Sarah Wendt, a professor of social work at Flinders University in South Australia, said applicants must agree not to disseminate or misuse the information provided, which is presented verbally at face-to-face meetings. said.
Sarah Wendt, Professor of Social Work at Flinders University, South Australia sauce: attached
In NSW, it is proposed that the details provided by NSW Police include the type of violent conviction an individual has received and the date of such conviction.
The manner in which such information is communicated is being considered in the light of information from domestic violence advocates in the interest of the applicant’s safety and well-being.
Have you ever helped people?
The NSW Government conducted a DVDS pilot program from mid-2016 to mid-2019. In his first two years in the pilot, 50 people reported learning of their partner’s violent past.
Dr. Jane Wangmann, Associate Professor of Law, has previously written about evaluating pilot programs in the Oxley, Shoalhaven, Sutherland, and St. George areas.
She said another potential positive aspect, as well as the potential to connect applicants to support services, is that disclosures can validate an applicant’s experience.
However, she raised a number of concerns in her evaluation report.
These included that a return of “nothing to disclose” might give the applicant a false sense of security or help justify concerns about the partner’s behavior.
Wangmann also found that nearly half of applicants had been in a relationship with their current or former partner for at least a year, and 38% had already experienced physical violence, despite being described as an “early intervention.” I wrote that there is
Wendt said he has not conducted a formal evaluation study of the South Australian program, but anecdotally said many thought it was a success.
“The Freedom of Information scheme has received more inquiries than previously expected, so the state government continues to work with CenterCare to fund it because there is demand,” she said. rice field.
Where can such schemes be implemented?
Similar laws were subsequently introduced in various regions. Because Clare’s Law was enacted.
The NSW Government is working out the details of the plan and will implement it if the votes are returned in the next state elections in March this year.
We plan to review the scheme after 12 months.
New South Wales opposition leader Chris Mings said he supported the idea in principle, but said he would like to see the details before committing to such a plan if his party were to form a government. .
“We need to do something. One death in the area is just one too many,” he said.
“We need to come up with new initiatives and ideas.”
Queensland has considered introducing such a scheme, but a 2017 Queensland Law Reform Commission report does not recommend the introduction of DVDS.
The report finds a lack of evidence that such schemes are effective in reducing domestic and domestic violence, enhancing protection and support for those at risk, or improving accountability for perpetrators. said that he is
If you or someone you know is affected by family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or In case of emergency, please call 000.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/how-some-people-could-soon-be-able-to-check-if-their-partner-has-a-history-of-domestic-violence/6xvsdbo2o What is the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme and how does it work?