My name remains unspoken, as yet another survivor of high-risk domestic violence in Australia. As a survivor, I understand all too well the dire consequences of not knowing a partner's violent past. Like the tragic case of Danielle Finlay-Jones, I, too, unknowingly became entangled with an abusive partner. It's a chilling reality that many victims face, diving headfirst into relationships while oblivious to the previous violent history of our partners.

Often, the perpetrators of this abuse mask their past by expertly crafting their victims as the abusers, thereby gaining sympathy, attention, and defending themselves with an army of enablers. Ruthlessly, leaving victims twice traumatised – once by the abuse, and once more by the drastic realisation of their partner's concealed past, as if we never knew them at all, we had loved and trusted a stranger.

There is an alarmingly high rate of violence against women in Australia, as the data from the Australian Institute of Criminology reveals. The number of women killed by an intimate partner saw an increase of nearly 30% in 2022-23 as compared to the previous year. In perspective, sixty women were killed by men, nine by women, and six by persons of unidentified gender. Equally tragic is the fact that around 20 children are killed by a parent each year, half of them being two years old or younger.

This increasing rate of domestic violence cannot go on unchallenged. For victims like myself, having known about past violence could have made a significant difference. It's time to put an end to these hidden habits of horror. We must push for changes in the law that requires the disclosure of an individual's violent history to potential partners. Imagine living in a society where potential victims could find out if their current or prospective partner has a history of domestic violence beforehand instead of firsthand. We would be better equipped to protect ourselves, and potentially save countless lives. This is the purpose of Clare's Law, a domestic violence disclosure scheme.

First introduced in the UK in 2014 in memory of Clare Wood, who was strangled and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, Clare's Law provides possible victims or friends and family the right to inquire about a person's criminal history. Unfortunately, this lifesaving piece of legislation is yet to be adopted nationwide in Australia. The introduction of such a law would signify a crucial step in safeguarding potential victims and thwarting future abuses.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016) reported that at least one woman a week is killed by a partner or former partner in Australia; this indicates the urgent need for preventative measures like Clare's Law. The law is not about controlling or restricting individuals but about empowering them with information to make informed decisions about their lives.

We need more than sympathetic ears; we need concrete actions. We must advocate for Clare's Law in every state and territory in Australia, Let's then urge our policymakers to implement a mandatory disclosure of potential partners' violent past in Australia,  transforming this urgent call into legislative reality that could save lives. 

Stand with us. 

Stand for a safer Australia. 

Please, sign this petition for the implementation of Clare's Law across our nation.

Note: This petition is now linked with another campaign by Amy calling for the same reform.