600 people use safety scheme to check if their partner has a violent background

Hundreds of South Australians have been warned to be wary after asking police to dig into their new partners backgrounds.

A teenage girl with an older boyfriend and a woman in her 70s who had been married for 50 years are among 600 South Australians who have asked police to check the criminal history of their partner.

Through the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, police uncovered crimes or behaviour that raised red flags in 277 cases so far, including 15 in which a woman had to be warned she was at immediate risk.

The checks are often uncovering histories of assault or weapons charges, protection orders that have been put in place for past relationships and breaches of those orders.

Women’s safety services and authorities say the scheme is surely saving lives by warning potential victims and supporting them to leave a dangerous relationship before the risk escalates. Since October 2018, there have been 601 applications, including from:

A 17-YEAR-OLD girl in a relationship with a 19-year-old man who had an extensive history of violence.

A WOMAN who found out that two separate partners had violent criminal histories.

THE daughter of a woman in her 70s who had been in an abusive marriage for 50 years.

In that case, it was the evidence the mother needed to leave the relationship.

Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink said the success of the scheme prompted the State Government to commit another $500,000 a year to keep it operating until at least mid-2024.

“The strong uptake … clearly shows there is real value in empowering South Australians at risk of domestic violence to make informed choices about their safety,” she said.

The vast majority (98 per cent) of applicants are women and about two-thirds have children in their care.

In one-third of cases, a concerned loved one has applied on behalf of someone who they fear may be in an abusive relationship. About 40 per cent of cases involve people living in regional SA.

Based on a British model, the scheme is open to people aged 17 or older, living in SA who are in a relationship or have ongoing contact, such as sharing custody of children.

Police can reveal convictions for offences such as assault, stalking or threats and charges that were dropped or acquitted.

Court protection orders are included but nonviolent offences, such as drink-driving or fraud, are not disclosed.

Concerning behaviour that prompts an application could include controlling a partner’s movements, monitoring their phone or anger-management problems.

For support, phone 1800 RESPECT