Clare’s Law allows Sask. RCMP to reveal past violence, abuse to intimate partners

Warning: This story may contain details that are disturbing to some readers. Find a list of help available at the end of the story.

British woman Clare Wood had been to see U.K. police four times in 2009 about her ex-boyfriend.

She had made complaints that the man who she had met six months before on Facebook had harassed her, threatened to kill her and sexually assaulted her, as well as smashed down her front door after she ended their relationship.

Then, he strangled her in her home and set her on fire.

Wood had been unaware her ex-boyfriend had a history of crimes against women and had served jail time for breaking a restraining order, harassment and holding a woman at knife-point for 12 hours.

Read more:

• Jump in intimate partner and family violence in 2023, Sask. RCMP says
• Province provides funding to support family violence outreach program
• ‘Our youth are our future’: Emergency safe home opens on Sask. First Nation

What is Clare’s Law?

Clare’s Law is named for Wood, and the protection it offers is available to anyone in Saskatchewan. It allows police to disclose risk information related to someone’s violent or abusive past to intimate partners whose safety may be threatened.

The law, which has been enacted in the U.K., Australia as well as Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador, provides an applicant with the right to ask and the right to know.

• Right to ask means someone can go to any RCMP detachment and apply to find out if there is any risk-related information regarding a current or former intimate partner.
• Right to know means the process is initiated by an RCMP officer who has received information that may impact the safety of a person in an intimate relationship.

Applications can also be made by a loved one or support person on behalf of the person at risk with or without their consent.

Any application is then sent to a review committee made up of experts in interpersonal violence. The committee determines whether there is a low, medium or high risk to an applicant.

Approval for the release of information can take up to 30 days, according to RCMP. If approved, the severity of the convictions is delivered to an applicant by RCMP in a private setting. Details of those convictions are not disclosed.

RCMP said the law aims to assist people at risk in making informed decisions about their safety and relationships.

“I encourage any person who feels that they may be at risk of harm by a current or former intimate partner to contact their local RCMP detachment to discuss resources available to keep them safe and to help them feel supported,”  Cst. Joelle Nieman, Relationship Violence Coordinator for the Saskatchewan RCMP, said in a news release.

Where can I get help?

To connect to domestic violence support in your community, call 211, text 211 or visit abuse.sk.211.ca. The service is free, confidential, and available 24/7 365 days a year in over 175 languages, including 17 Indigenous languages.

As well, there are 18 helplines available in Saskatchewan to support people experiencing various forms of abuse and domestic violence. All are confidential, free, and available 24/7.

1. Naseeha Mental Health Helpline

• Support for everyone (Muslim and non-Muslim callers)
• Available via text or call 1-866-627-3342

2. Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline

• Confidential, multilingual service available 24/7
• Available via call at 1-833-900-1010 or online chat at canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca

3. Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime

• Support for victims, survivors, and their families
• Available via text or call at 1-877-232-2610, or online chat at crcvc.ca

4. First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Helpline

• Support for Indigenous people
  Available via call at 1-855-242-3310 or online chat at hopeforwellness.ca

5. 24-Hour Residential School Crisis Line

• Support for those affected by residential school trauma
• Available via call at 1-866-925-4419

6. NISA Helpline

• Faith-based support for parents and women
• Available via call at 1-888-315-6472

7. LGBT National Hotline

• Support for the LGBTQ2S+ community
• Available via call at 1-888-843-4564 or online chat at lgbthotline.org

8. Kids Help Phone

• Multilingual service for young people
• Available via text or call at 1-800-668-6868 or online chat at kidshelpphone.ca

9. Youthspace.ca

• Crisis and emotional support for people under 30
• Available via text at 778 7830177 or online chat at youthspace.ca

10. Shelwin House 24-Hour Support

• Support for women
• Available via Call at 1-306-244-7773

11. Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service

• Support for everyone
• Available via call at 1-306-933-6200

12. Crisis Suicide Helpline

• Support for everyone
• Available via call at 1-833-456-4566

13. North East Outreach and Support Services

• Support for everyone
• Available via call at 1-306-752-9463

14. Southwest Crisis Services Crisis Line

• Support for everyone
  Available via call at 1-306-778-8383

15. Farm Stress Line

• Support for everyone, especially those in farming communities
  ◦ Available via call at 1-800-667-4442

16. Mobile Crisis Line

• Crisis support for everyone
• Available via call at 1-800-607-0310

17. Talking Stick

• Anonymous online chat support for Indigenous people
• Available via online chat on a free app only, available for Apple and Android

18. Child Abuse Line

• Support for children and youth
• Available via call at 1-800-387-5437

NOTE: This information was current in November 2024. If you have a service you would like added to our list please send details here.

Read more:

• Jump in intimate partner and family violence in 2023, Sask. RCMP says
• Province provides funding to support family violence outreach program
• ‘Our youth are our future’: Emergency safe home opens on Sask. First Nation