‘Right to know’ needs back-up, says mother
Nottinghamshire mother questions ’right to ask’ scheme, as county pushes Man Enough campaign.
The mother of a 21-year-old woman from Nottinghamshire who was killed by her ex-partner, has spoken out about her ordeal on national TV.
Victoria Blower, who lost her daughter Casey Brittle in 2010, appeared on Channel 4′s Dispatches programme Do You Know Your Partner’s Past? on October 22.
She was one of a number of people affected by domestic violence who were interviewed by Tina Nash, a domestic violence survivor whose eyes were gouged out by her violent boyfriend last year.
The programme also discussed a new law that gives people the right to ask police if their partner has a violent history. People can also ask the question of somebody else’s partner if they’re worried about a friend or relative being at risk of domestic violence.
Nottinghamshire is one of four areas to pilot this scheme, officially called The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme but known more widely as Clare’s Law, after 36-year-old Clare Wood, who was killed by her violent ex-partner in 2009.
Blower raised concerns that, as many perpetrators exert powerful mental control over their partners, simply knowing their past won’t necessarily give victims the courage to leave.
Speaking on the programme, she said: “Even if she had known, you still have to have safety measures put in place.
“It’s all about safety and protecting the person on the receiving end of the abuse.”
Earlier this month Blower backed the Nottingham Post newspaper’s domestic violence campaign ‘Man Enough’.
‘Man Enough’ is urging men in Nottinghamshire to sign the White Ribbon campaign pledge to end violence against women. It is being run in conjunction with Women’s Aid Integrated Services (WAIS), the Nottinghamshire Domestic Violence Forum (NDVF) and Nottinghamshire Police.
The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) is the UK branch of the global campaign to ensure men take more responsibility for reducing the level of violence against women – and reckons it is the first male-oriented organisation to oppose violence against women.
Have you ever known a man take responsibility for anything?