A short but sweet one today.
This story is writ large on the BBC news website this afternoon.
People in some parts of England and Wales will soon be able to find out from police if their partners have a history of domestic violence.
The Home Office has announced year-long trials giving police the “right to ask” for information in Greater Manchester, Nottinghamshire, Wiltshire and Gwent.
The scheme is dubbed Clare’s Law, after a woman murdered by a former partner.
Now I don’t view this as an infringement on civil liberties, if you break the law, then tough. Domestic abusers are amongst the lowest of the low, they strip people of their self-esteem and make a prison out of the home, something that should be a refuge, a place of relaxation and safety.
However, the concept doesn’t sit well with me.
Firstly, I would hope that the service is available to all, the focus is on women being abused by men, but it is often the other way around, and the stigma is much bigger.
Secondly, just because someone is a violent domestic abuser, it doesn’t mean they’ll have a record for it. The same is true of paedophiles. I wonder how long it will be until the victim of a previously undetected abuser tries to sue the police who gave the partner the all clear?
Finally, and most importantly, if you feel the need to go down to the local cop shop to see if your new other half has form for wife beating, then there’s really no point in going. If you’re that concerned about it, then get out. The very act of considering going to take a peek at your new boyfriend’s criminal record should really tell you everything you need to know about the relationship. If you don’t trust and don’t feel comfortable with your partner, then there’s no point in continuing with the relationship, is there?
Good grief, another case of bureaucrats meddling for the sake of meddling.
How long will it be until we have a civil servant follow us bedroom at the end of a romantic evening to document that we understand the risks and possible consequences of anything we might be about to do.
“If you don’t trust and don’t feel comfortable with your partner, then there’s no point in continuing with the relationship, is there?”
But that is the point isn’t it. No one today has the ability to make their own decisions, judgements or act in a rational manner based on those things. They need permission and guidance from ‘our betters’.
Or perhaps it will be used to cut back on all those sound-bites about women (you know those ladies who after multiple episodes where they have fights with their boyfriends/husbands hitting and being hit only to stay ‘becoz I lov Im’, innit’ – and no this isn’t to belittle the real victims of violence, just to suggest that maybe some evidence of rational thought might be nice) – by saying ‘well look, we told you’.
As an aside, this sort of thing is already apparently relatively common. I dated a lady who some time into the relationship accidentally revealed that she had, on meeting me, but before any direct contact, used a web site which purported to supply court judgements, credit ratings, residence histories, etc before deciding to ‘bump into me’ (very common pre-date action in the US I believe). Needless to say my own response was to get up and walk away with nary a look behind.
Oh and yes, from my experience, if the ladies can do this then I would appreciate a database of ladies who have made false accusations, taken all their previous partners earnings and property, etc. – not going to happen though as it’s men who are the root of all evil didn’t you know?