SA Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme reveals criminal histories of hundreds of abusive men

Background checks on controlling husbands and violent partners are revealing hundreds of men leaving a trail of abuse victims in their wake. See the alarming figures.

The criminal histories of some of South Australia’s worst domestic violence offenders have been exposed by new data showing hundreds of men are leaving a trail of victims in their wake.

The figures illustrate the danger posed by abusers who move from woman to woman repeating the same damaging pattern of behaviour.

Police background checks have uncovered more than 780 over the course of three years who have a history of hurting multiple previous partners or family members.

Figures released by SA Police, following inquiries by The Advertiser, also show 43 serial abusers have harmed five or more previous victims.

Among them ­are at least two men who have a record spanning a staggering 10 women.

Evidence of the abuse, uncovered through the SA Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, includes ­reports to police, arrests, charges, convictions or court protection orders.

The popularity of online dating has also prompted police to track how many predators are finding their next partner on social media.

Of almost 1100 applications to the disclosure scheme since the start of 2022, 228 couples (more than a quarter) met online.

The number is trending upwards slightly in 2024, compared to last year.

Women’s Safety Services SA has been tracking similar data since late 2020 which also finds about a quarter of relationships began through apps like Tinder, Bumble, Grindr, eHarmony or Plenty of Fish.

They have previously warned women are being coerced into moving in with men they have only interacted with online or being monitored through fake profiles.

SA Police Assistant Commissioner (Crime) John Venditto said the reasons people sought a background check varied from “physical assaults and threats, verbal aggression, unreasonably possessive behaviour and controlling-type behaviours which make a partner feel monitored and not free to act and make choices as they wish”.

Since the scheme began in late 2018 there have been 63 urgent meetings to disclose the results of a background check with people believed to be at imminent risk of harm.

Assistant Commissioner Venditto said everyone who was given information about their partner’s history was supported by a specialist domestic violence worker to assess their risk and make a safety plan.

“Some of those decisions, whilst difficult to accept on some occasions, resulted in the victim ending the relationship or taking other preventative measures,” he said.

In total police have fielded more than 2220 applications – 98 per cent of them about women at risk.

The scheme is open to anyone aged 17 or older who is in a relationship or who has ongoing contact with an ex-partner, such as shared custody of children.

Concerned friends or family members can also lodge an application on behalf of a loved one.

Police will only release information about criminal history relevant to domestic abuse.

Unrelated offences, such as drink driving or fraud, are not included.

Originally published as SA Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme reveals criminal histories of hundreds of abusive men