MORE than 900 people in Scotland have been warned by police of their partner’s abusive past in the last two years under Clare’s Law.
The figure was revealed on the second anniversary of the rollout of the initiative, which is known north of the border as the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse in Scotland (DSDAS).
Police said 2,144 requests were made to DSDAS since it was launched on October 1 2015 and 927 people have been told that their partner has a previous history of abusive behaviour.
Clare’s Law is named for Clare Wood, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in Greater Manchester in 2009 and had been unaware of his history of violence against women.
Detective Superintendent Gordon McCreadie, Police Scotland's national lead for Domestic Abuse, said: “It empowers individuals, or others who care for their wellbeing, to take control of their future, enabling access to important information which will help them make an informed decision about whether it is right for them, and perhaps their children, to remain in a relationship with someone who may have a history of domestic abuse.
“It also sends a message to perpetrators and those whose behaviour may be escalating, that if they become a domestic abuser their behaviour today will likely impact on every other day of their life and many of their future relationships.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Women’s Aid Dr Marsha Scott said: “Scottish Women's Aid is glad to mark the second anniversary of Scotland's domestic abuse disclosure scheme. We are a big fan of the idea that information is power, and the more information women have about the domestic abuse histories of their partners and ex-partners, the better. We welcome any tool that helps police and the women themselves to be safe.”
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