This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-tyne-16726659
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Clare's Law: Sunderland abuse victims petition Commons | Clare's Law: Sunderland abuse victims petition Commons |
(40 minutes later) | |
Shirley Miller was regularly beaten by her partner. | Shirley Miller was regularly beaten by her partner. |
"The same thing kept happening over and over and over again. He kept saying 'I'm sorry, I'll never do it again'. | "The same thing kept happening over and over and over again. He kept saying 'I'm sorry, I'll never do it again'. |
"And the violence was really, really, really bad." | "And the violence was really, really, really bad." |
For nine years she tried to keep it hidden, even when one attack put her in hospital for a week. | For nine years she tried to keep it hidden, even when one attack put her in hospital for a week. |
Today she's one of a group of women taking a petition to parliament in support of a campaign for people to have access to information about a partner's violent past. | Today she's one of a group of women taking a petition to parliament in support of a campaign for people to have access to information about a partner's violent past. |
The proposals have been called Clare's Law after Clare Wood, who was strangled and set on fire by her partner after months of assaults and death threats. | The proposals have been called Clare's Law after Clare Wood, who was strangled and set on fire by her partner after months of assaults and death threats. |
The government is considering whether to make information about a person's history of domestic violence available, and whether by request or by the police proactively disclosing it. | The government is considering whether to make information about a person's history of domestic violence available, and whether by request or by the police proactively disclosing it. |
History of violence | History of violence |
Carolyn Trueman, who runs a domestic violence support group in Sunderland, says the law's success would depend on how well it was advertised - whether women knew what information was available and how to access it. | Carolyn Trueman, who runs a domestic violence support group in Sunderland, says the law's success would depend on how well it was advertised - whether women knew what information was available and how to access it. |
But she says the benefits of prior knowledge seem, in some cases, to be incontrovertible. | But she says the benefits of prior knowledge seem, in some cases, to be incontrovertible. |
She says: "One of the women [at the group] has had a very recent traumatic experience with a partner who has a history of violence, which she didn't know about, and was very badly beaten by him. | She says: "One of the women [at the group] has had a very recent traumatic experience with a partner who has a history of violence, which she didn't know about, and was very badly beaten by him. |
"He's currently serving a prison sentence for that. | "He's currently serving a prison sentence for that. |
"It was only after he had been violent to her... and then, through her reporting it to the police, then it became apparent that his history against women was massive." | "It was only after he had been violent to her... and then, through her reporting it to the police, then it became apparent that his history against women was massive." |
Ms Trueman set up the support group four years ago after eight out of the 10 women at a parenting session she was running admitted having being abused. | Ms Trueman set up the support group four years ago after eight out of the 10 women at a parenting session she was running admitted having being abused. |
Shirley Miller was one of those eight. | Shirley Miller was one of those eight. |
'Black and white' | 'Black and white' |
She ignored friends who, finding out she was being abused, told her to leave her partner. | She ignored friends who, finding out she was being abused, told her to leave her partner. |
But she thinks people who would make excuses to well-meaning friends might take more notice of something official. | But she thinks people who would make excuses to well-meaning friends might take more notice of something official. |
And she is adamant that now older and with direct experience of domestic violence, she would take notice now. | And she is adamant that now older and with direct experience of domestic violence, she would take notice now. |
She says: "It should be on the database, where they can look up and then that is proof. | She says: "It should be on the database, where they can look up and then that is proof. |
"Because no matter how much you try and tell somebody, even if you know them, don't go back, they do. | "Because no matter how much you try and tell somebody, even if you know them, don't go back, they do. |
"In black and white it's completely different." | "In black and white it's completely different." |
Ms Miller says she did not know her former partner had beaten his previous girlfriend. | Ms Miller says she did not know her former partner had beaten his previous girlfriend. |
She does not think his current girlfriend knows either. Or that she knows about another who, Ms Miller says, was beaten so badly she was "left for dead". |
Previous version
1
Next version