Domestic violence can leave profound and lasting impacts on individuals, families, and entire communities. While no single policy can completely eradicate the problem, providing people with timely and accurate information about a partner’s history of abusive behavior may be a powerful step forward. This is where “Clare’s Law” (also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, or DVDS) comes into the spotlight.

Named after Clare Wood—who was killed by an ex-boyfriend with a history of violence—Clare’s Law is intended to offer individuals a legal pathway to check if their partner has a record of domestic abuse. Already implemented in parts of the UK, Canada, and New Zealand, a movement is currently underway to bring this framework to Australia on a nationwide level. Below, we explore what Clare’s Law might mean for Australia by taking a balanced look at its potential advantages and disadvantages.

Link to petition here: https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN6927

Closes: Midnight on 19th of Feb, 2025

This podcast is created by Self Defence Hub. The leading provider of self protection courses in Victoria, Australia. The hub is run and led by a female instructor with other 30 years experience in self defence training. For more information, please visit selfdefencehub.com.au.