WOMEN or men identifying red flags in their relationship are encouraged to make use of the new Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme.
The initiative provides an avenue for a person who may be at risk of domestic violence to get information about their partner or former partner to help make decisions about their safety and the future of the relationship.
Since October 2, a total of 114 applications have been received by SA Police, with a quarter lodged by people living in regional South Australia.
Centacare Limestone Coast Domestic Violence Service manager Susie Smith welcomed the figures, but encouraged people feeling unsafe in relationships to make a request for information.
“The scheme is for people who notice red flags in their relationship, which is usually around control or financial issues in the first instance, such as wanting access to bank accounts and wanting to know what money is being spent on,” she said.
“You do not have to go into a police station, you can do it online and everything is confidential.”
Ms Smith said concerns can be based around physical, verbal or controlling behaviours, emotional or psychological manipulation or economic or social abuse or isolation.
An application can be made by any person in South Australia over the age of 17 and can be made by someone concerned for their own safety or on behalf of someone they know.
According to the State Government, 34pc of applications have been received from concerned third parties.
Ms Smith encouraged friends, neighbours, relatives or domestic and family violence workers concerned about the safety of someone they know to use the scheme.
“Ideally, you want that person in the relationship to apply but if you think it is not safe to, or if you think it will damage your relationship with that person, you can put in an application,” she said.
“As a community, we often ask ourselves what can we do to make women safer.
“We all hear those stories about people who see women in their community and think something is not right.”
“This is something they can actually do in that intervention space.”
Visit police.sa.gov.au/your-safety/dvds for more information.
Individuals can apply online or visit a police station or a specialist domestic and family violence support worker if support is needed filling out the form.
