{
  "id": 19278121,
  "title": "Victoria will bring in a domestic violence disclosure scheme. Could it help protect women?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/victoria-will-bring-in-a-domestic-violence-disclosure-scheme-could-it",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-10T03:38:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Conversation AU",
    "slug": "the-conversation-au",
    "url": "https://theconversation.com/victoria-will-bring-in-a-domestic-violence-disclosure-scheme-could-it-help-protect-women-296246"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Victoria's upcoming state election has seen both major political parties pledge to introduce a domestic violence disclosure scheme, known as Clare’s Law. This proposed legislation would allow individuals to inquire with police about their partner's history of family violence, following years of advocacy from victim-survivors and their families. The scheme builds upon the success of a similar program in South Australia, which has shown promising results in helping women make informed decisions about their personal safety. However, questions remain regarding the scheme's ability to reduce the risk of family violence and homicide, as well as its implementation and funding. South Australia's success with Clare’s Law can be attributed to more than just providing information about a partner's history of violence. The program includes screening checks, confidentiality agreements, and a \"disclosure meeting\" with police and a family violence caseworker, which facilitates risk assessment, safety planning, and access to support services. Despite the potential benefits of Clare’s Law, there are limitations to its effectiveness. Police records may not capture the majority of domestic and family violence incidents, as many cases are not reported. This could lead to victims believing their partners are safe based on a lack of police records. Additionally, disclosure schemes may be misused by perpetrators to gaslight victims or as a form of \"systems abuse.\" A comprehensive approach to preventing violence against women must include sustained investment in prevention, early intervention, and perpetrator accountability, as well as ensuring the availability of crucial support services and affordable housing for victims.",
  "summary": "Both major parties in the state have pledged to bring in ‘Clare’s Law’ to allow people to ask police about a partner’s history of violence. But will it help?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}