Goal of Clare’s Law is to prevent domestic violence before it happens
By KELLEN TANIGUCHI on March 31, 2021.
ktaniguchi@medicinehatnews.com@@kellentaniguchi Albertans at risk of domestic violence can ask for information about a partner’s history of violence or abuse, starting on Thursday when Clare’s Law comes into effect. The Alberta government originally passed the Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence Act, known as Clare’s Law, in the legislature in the fall of 2019. “With this law, we can help prevent domestic violence before it occurs,” said Rajan Sawhney, Alberta’s minister of community and social services. “We can empower those who may be at risk by giving them options to protect themselves from harm.” The act allows people to apply for a disclosure to find out about their intimate partner’s past without them knowing. Clare’s Law will also allow police to take a proactive approach to domestic violence prevention, and disclose relevant information to people at risk. Disclosures are made within the parameters of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to safeguard personal information, says Sawhney. “We believe people at risk have a right to know if their partners have histories of violence or abuse,” said Sawhney. “We believe, I believe, that this law will save lives.” Sawhney adds Alberta ranks fourth highest in Canada for rates of police reported intimate partner violence and Lethbridge ranks highest in the country. Natasha Carvalho, executive director of the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society, says any way people can feel safer and feel they have the information they need to make decisions will be great. “We’ve been having lots of conversations around Clare’s Law and how it worked in other countries and how we really hoped it would be able to impact just getting violence stopped,” said Carvalho. “As long as the process can go smoothly enough that people get information that they need and get to safety if that’s what they need to do, that’s what I’m hoping this law will give people.” Carvalho says this law comes at a critical time with domestic violence being on the rise throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s quite critical,” she said. “We know absolutely that we’re seeing a shadow pandemic, or a pandemic within a pandemic if you want to say that, because we know during the time COVID first came about and people were being asked to stay home, we knew that home wasn’t always a safe place.” Sawhney adds the 2021 provincial budget has $51.3 million set aside for women’s emergency shelters. As of April 1, people who may be at risk of domestic violence can visit alberta.ca/clareslaw to find out more about the law and apply for disclosure. 15-14
