A NATIONAL scheme to help protect victims of domestic violence has been extended to North Yorkshire and York.

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), has introduced consistent standard procedures for police to follow over the disclosure of information to partners.

The scheme, also known as Clare’s Law, will allow relatives and friends concerned about people, or concerned partners, to make informed decisions about their relationships and safety.

Detective Superintendent Heather Pearson, who heads North Yorkshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable Persons’ Units, said: “The scheme ensures that those who have concerns around their safety or the safety of a friend or relative, in respect of a new or existing relationship, can proactively do something about it.

“Once an initial risk assessment is undertaken to ensure no one is at imminent risk, then the case will be managed by the protecting vulnerable persons safeguarding unit and specially trained domestic abuse officers.”

The scheme has already run for a 14-month pilot in Wiltshire, Greater Manchester, Nottinghamshire and Gwent, and gives the public the right to ask - through an application to police - and the right to know if their partners have a violent past.

All requests under the scheme are extensively researched, and domestic abuse officers will meet with the person requesting the information to identify any concerns.

Applications should be made through the by phoning 101, or in private at any police station.

For more information go to northyorkshire.police.uk/domesticabuse