Clare's law - What are your thoughts?

[sarahxxx]

Domestic violence is a big problem, but is this really the answer?

Should you be able to check out your partners past? Is it going to be a two way system, will men be able to check out prospective girlfriends? What about gay relationships?

Salford MP Hazel Blears stated: "If people do decide to carry on having a relationship with somebody who has behaved violently towards previous partners then at least they do so on an informed basis". This is true, but also, Ms Wood had made several complaints to police about her partner, who was found hanged in a derelict pub six days after her murder

So if a person carries on having a relationship with somebody that is violent towards them, how would "Clare's law" protected them? At what point would you go to the police to make the check? before the first date? On the way back from the night club at 3am after having pulled? The next morning maybe.

Clare Wood had ended her relationship with George Appleton, the inquest was told that Clare was not given enough police protection so surely it is problem with the police that needs correcting, not another law.

Sarah

[MrSmith767]

Knowing the police and governments methods of record keeping, what's to say any info you glean about a partner is going to be true?

There have been enough cases of innocent people being branded rapists, or paedophiles when they are guilty of neither crime.

How will it be policed? What is to stop just anyone saying my boyfriend is called xxxxx, is he violent?

What would be the cut off point for violence? Is fighting in the street going to get you added to this list? What about a woman who hits a bloke in a nightclub for being too friendly, is she showing an increased level of violence to the opposite sex?

It is going to be one of those things that will be so difficult to police

[abcdef]

i have my own personal thoughts on domestic violence

when i was 16 got awoken by my sis who looked distraught covered in blood, to come along & help her get her month old baby out the house with some clothes, when we got there she wanted me to wait outside, just as she was coming out her hubby followed her (my sis is 6'8 he is 5'10) saw me then exploded i ended up fighting in the street with him where he broke my lower jaw & knocked 3 teeth out

now the thing that angered me she stood & watched & decided there & then she was going to take his side begging me not to tell my parents, fucking sure i wasnt going to keep quiet

for 17yrs i never spoke to her my last words to her u deserve everything that fucking comes to u, he is a nutter my other sis had went to see her offered her some ice cream where he then grabbed it from her hands & run it under the hot tap, dickhead but she cant see past him

[MrSmith767]

What is really needed is a justice system that punishes people who behave like that, rather than the namby pamby (sorry about the expression but it just fits) system in place.

Domestic abuse needs to be acted upon when reported, rather than the police putting it down "to a domestic" until it gets too late.

Convictions should be swift, and of a length that will deter a repeat offence. A repeat offender should expect a jail term of double the original should they relapse to their old ways

[sarahxxx]

lolo - I know what you are saying and have seen this type of thing happen.

The problem the police have can be the same, when they are called by concerned neighbours, or worse still, the abused, on arriving they are then told it has nothing to do with them by the abused or if they get the abuser to leave, they are invited back by the abused and the following week / day it happens all over again.

The above is a situation that the abused person does not want to let go of or simply does not feel they can. I do not think that this new law, should it be past, will help anybody.

Those that need help, ask for it and do want it should be helped and if this was the case with Clare Woods, then she was let down by the system or police and that is what needs addressing, not another law.

Those that continue in a relationship of abuse also need help, but that is far more complicated a situation.

Sarah

[NICK123BRISTOL]

i have done research into this for a previous project. Research showed in vast amount of cases it took a victim of repeat domestic violance 30 incidents to make the decison to leave their partner. The problem lies with soceity as a whole and not just the Police. the Police cannot force somebody to leave the violent partner. Will need tougher sentences for these bastards doing this.

[SassyAnn]

I read that battered husbands/boyfriends numbers are rising rapidly. With girls being far more violent on the street, it wouldn't surprise me. It's always been fairly taboo, but with the sorts of incidents coming to light now, hopefully the women will get their comeuppance to.

[English Kate]

It's hard for me to comprehend being in a violent relationship. Once is all it would take for me to make a swift exit and if I ever felt compelled to beat someone up then that tells me, I shouldn't be with them. Mind you I'm not a violent person, so I can't see that ever happening.

I think Lolo's sister is typical in the way that she went back to her man though. For some reason these types of men are also very manipulative and able to brain wash their partners into believing what ever rot comes out of their mouths and it must be very hard to disconnect from that, especially if you have children with the person doing it to you.

You are right Nick. I don't think the Police are even aware things are happening most of the time, as the evidence is hidden under clothes and out of site and it is only when it gets as far as hospital that any alarm bells at all might be raised. There is not much you can do without a willing victim to prosecute and evidence.

What also worries me a bit is that if someone is sent down for violence and does their time and then meets someone else who they geniunely care for and having turned over a leaf they don't hurt, but that person finds out about their past before they tell them in their own time, they could use it against them and cry wolf. Being on the registered the next time they would get sent down a lot longer and who would believe them that it was not true? There are some crazy people out there. Maybe I have been watching too much Eastenders.

I don't know what the answer is, but I'm not sure Clare's law is it.

[monty69]

Violence in a relationship is awful - I am proud to say I have never been in any way violent towards any of my partners.
However, when I was first married, I was a control freak and, although never violent, I controlled my wife mentally - that surely is almost as bad. After we divorced, I spent plenty of time on my own and really had to evaluate how I lived and how I treated other people.
I am pleased to say that I did change - these days the most critical thing about me, according to my friends and family is that I am too laid back - gone too much the other way. Well for me, I much rather be too laid back as I actually like me now, I really didnt like the old me.
This new law will only be as effective as the information supplied - and I tend to agree with the comments above that there is more to violence - and I do believe that some people can change.

I also dont think I am niave - people can change and will change - but not everyone can.

[abcdef]

personally myself if i were in a relationship & he even so much as tried to lift his hand i would deck him, also i wouldnt let any guy manipulate me as i would always keep a bit of myself back