Clare’s Law - Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme
Clare's Law Campaign
The West Yorkshire Police Clare's Law campaign was launched to encourage anyone with concerns about their current or ex-partner to use their ‘right to ask’ to check whether they have a history of domestic abuse.
The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, also known as Clare’s Law, has been in place in West Yorkshire since 2014. The number of requests has been increasing over recent years but West Yorkshire Police is keen to ensure that all members of the public are aware of their right to ask whether their partner or ex-partner poses a risk to them.
Applications can be made by males or females over the age of 16-years-old in heterosexual or same-sex relationships. If police checks show that the partner or ex-partner has a record of abusive behaviour or there is other information to indicate the applicant may be at risk, a multi-agency decision will be taken on what information should be shared.
Click here to read our Clare's Law Campaign news release
Scroll down to read more about Clare's Law and how you can apply and use your right to ask.
YouTube Video – Eilish Kagbo, Independent Domestic Violence Advocate
Clare's Law - your right to ask - how to make a request
Police forces are allowed to disclose information to a potential victim and have a duty to protect members of the public from domestic abuse.
A disclosure under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law) may be generated by a:
- Right to know obligation on the police to disclose; or
- Right to ask application from a member of the public.
The following documents provide more information on how to apply for information under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, and cover the following : -
- What is the scheme?
- Who can ask for disclosure?
- How to make an application
- The next steps
Along with support information and telephone helplines.
Clare's Law - In a relationship Request
Clare's Law - Third Party Request
Clare's Law - Online Application
Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law) online application form
Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law) Disclosure Requests
The data below shows the number of disclosure requests (both right to know and right to ask) recorded by West Yorkshire Police and the number of disclosures made.
It is the responsibility of a Multi-Agency Decision Making Body as to;
- whether a disclosure should be made;
- what should be disclosed;
- who a disclosure will be made to;
- who should make the disclosure;
- whether the views of the subject should be sought about making the disclosure;
- whether the subject should be informed that a disclosure has been made; and
- whether and what additional safeguarding action should be taken to protect a potential victim.
West Yorkshire Police launched a Clare’s Law campaign on 24th January 2019 to raise awareness of the scheme. As a result, the force has seen an increase in requests made by the public and also the police considering a right to know disclosure. The force strives to ensure that all victims or potential victims are effectively safeguarded against perpetrators of domestic abuse.
NB Data shown in quarterly periods
2021
January – March 2021
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 2021 |
88 |
42 |
63 |
36 |
Feb 2021 |
66 |
30 |
65 |
41 |
Mar 2021 |
67 |
32 |
85 |
47 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
221 |
104 |
213 |
124 |
YTD TOTAL |
221 |
104 |
213 |
124 |
April – June 2021
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 2021 |
92 |
41 |
78 |
41 |
May 2021 |
91 |
35 |
71 |
27 |
June 2021 |
83 |
43 |
65 |
33 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
266 |
129 |
214 |
114 |
YTD TOTAL |
601 |
235 |
427 |
239 |
July – September 2021
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jul 2021 |
85 |
42 |
94 |
45 |
Aug 2021 |
96 |
41 |
76 |
38 |
Sept 2021 |
116 |
50 |
87 |
31 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
297 |
133 |
257 |
114 |
YTD TOTAL |
898 |
368 |
684 |
353 |
2020
January – March 2020
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 2020 |
61 |
28 |
57 |
32 |
Feb 2020 |
41 |
13 |
50 |
28 |
Mar 2020 |
51 |
24 |
48 |
29 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
153 |
65 |
155 |
89 |
YTD TOTAL |
153 |
65 |
155 |
89 |
April – June 2020
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 2020 |
42 |
19 |
74 |
43 |
May 2020 |
58 |
21 |
65 |
33 |
June 2020 |
72 |
30 |
71 |
34 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
172 |
70 |
210 |
110 |
YTD TOTAL |
325 |
135 |
365 |
199 |
July – September 2020
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jul 2020 |
60 |
26 |
72 |
36 |
Aug 2020 |
54 |
26 |
65 |
29 |
Sept 2020 |
55 |
22 |
74 |
39 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
169 |
74 |
211 |
104 |
YTD TOTAL |
495 |
209 |
576 |
303 |
October – December 2020
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct 2020 |
54 |
22 |
52 |
31 |
Nov 2020 |
53 |
21 |
72 |
38 |
Dec 2020 |
58 |
31 |
52 |
23 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
165 |
74 |
176 |
92 |
YTD TOTAL |
660 |
283 |
752 |
395 |
2019
January – March 2019
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 2019 |
27 |
12 |
57 |
42 |
Feb 2019 |
31 |
16 |
59 |
38 |
Mar 2019 |
39 |
16 |
44 |
27 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
97 |
44 |
160 |
107 |
YTD TOTAL |
97 |
44 |
160 |
107 |
April – June 2019
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Apr 2019 |
25 |
11 |
40 |
18 |
May 2019 |
36 |
17 |
51 |
28 |
June 2019 |
30 |
10 |
71 |
40 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
91 |
38 |
162 |
86 |
YTD TOTAL |
188 |
82 |
322 |
193 |
July – September 2019
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
July 2019 |
31 |
7 |
66 |
32 |
Aug 2019 |
48 |
24 |
58 |
37 |
Sept 2019 |
58 |
26 |
77 |
35 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
137 |
57 |
201 |
104 |
YTD TOTAL |
325 |
139 |
523 |
297 |
October - December 2019
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct 2019 |
60 |
20 |
72 |
40 |
Nov 2019 |
57 |
22 |
55 |
26 |
Dec 2019 |
43 |
22 |
68 |
40 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
160 |
64 |
195 |
106 |
YTD TOTAL |
479 |
204 |
719 |
409 |
2018
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 2018 |
15 |
6 |
34 |
22 |
Feb 2018 |
11 |
6 |
31 |
21 |
Mar 2018 |
18 |
1 |
28 |
16 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
44 |
13 |
93 |
59 |
YTD TOTAL |
44 |
13 |
93 |
59 |
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Apr 2018 |
18 |
8 |
25 |
16 |
May 2018 |
13 |
4 |
36 |
30 |
June 2018 |
15 |
6 |
29 |
16 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
46 |
18 |
90 |
62 |
YTD TOTAL |
90 |
31 |
183 |
121 |
July – Sept 2018
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Jul 2018 |
14 |
5 |
54 |
35 |
Aug 2018 |
20 |
6 |
41 |
25 |
Sept 2018 |
19 |
3 |
30 |
13 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
53 |
14 |
125 |
73 |
YTD TOTAL |
143 |
45 |
308 |
194 |
October – December 2018
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Oct 2018 |
21 |
6 |
28 |
20 |
Nov 2018 |
21 |
10 |
52 |
28 |
Dec 2018 |
18 |
9 |
33 |
22 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
60 |
25 |
113 |
70 |
YTD TOTAL |
203 |
70 |
421 |
264 |
2017
January – March 2017
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Jan 2017 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
Feb 2017 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
10 |
Mar 2017 |
8 |
2 |
8 |
7 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
16 |
4 |
24 |
19 |
YTD TOTAL |
16 |
4 |
24 |
1 |
April – June 2017
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Apr 2017 |
5 |
1 |
10 |
8 |
May 2017 |
9 |
6 |
17 |
15 |
Jun 2017 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
21 |
12 |
32 |
25 |
YTD TOTAL |
37 |
16 |
56 |
44 |
July – September 2017
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
July 2017 |
8 |
3 |
13 |
12 |
Aug 2017 |
8 |
4 |
13 |
12 |
Sept 2017 |
9 |
6 |
13 |
12 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
25 |
13 |
39 |
36 |
YTD TOTAL |
62 |
29 |
95 |
80 |
October – December 2017
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Oct 2017 |
9 |
6 |
14 |
12 |
Nov 2017 |
18 |
7 |
21 |
14 |
Dec 2017 |
12 |
4 |
26 |
19 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
39 |
17 |
61 |
45 |
YTD TOTAL |
101 |
46 |
156 |
125 |
2016
January – March 2016
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Jan 2016 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
Feb 2016 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
Mar 2016 |
7 |
2 |
12 |
5 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
13 |
4 |
22 |
9 |
YTD TOTAL |
13 |
4 |
22 |
9 |
April – June 2016
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Apr 2016 |
5 |
2 |
9 |
3 |
May 2016 |
9 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
Jun 2016 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
19 |
9 |
20 |
14 |
YTD TOTAL |
32 |
13 |
42 |
23 |
July – September 2016
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Jul 2016 |
8 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
Aug 2016 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Sept 2016 |
3 |
0 |
12 |
8 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
19 |
4 |
19 |
14 |
YTD TOTAL |
51 |
17 |
61 |
37 |
October – December 2016
Month |
No. Right to Ask Requests |
No. Right to Ask Disclosures |
No. Right to Know Requests |
No. Right to Know Disclosures |
Oct 2016 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
Nov 2016 |
5 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
Dec 2016 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
Qtrly TOTAL |
17 |
4 |
16 |
12 |
YTD TOTAL |
68 |
21 |
77 |
49 |