Clare’s Law - Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme

Clare's Law Campaign

West Yorkshire Police is launching a new campaign encouraging 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

YouTube Video - Detective Superintendent Jon Morgan explains Clare's Law

Clare's Law A4 Poster (Get in touch)

Clare's Law A4 Poster (Ask us)

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

If you are in a relationship and are worried that your partner may have been abusive in the past (PDF 7mb)

Clare's Law - Third Party Request

Concerned about someone you know who is in a relationship and may be at risk of domestic abuse (PDF 7mb)

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.

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

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

January – March 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

April – June 2018

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

Police forces are allowed to disclose information to a potential victim and have a duty to protect members of the public from domestic abuse under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme - also known as "Clare’s Law".