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Clare's Law

People at risk of domestic violence have the right to get information about potentially harmful intimate partners.

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Trained staff can provide information about family violence and domestic violence programs and services, as well as advice and support.

About Clare’s Law

The Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act gives people who feel at risk of domestic violence a way to get information about their partners so they can make informed choices about their safety and relationships.

Alberta’s version of Clare’s Law is named after Clare Wood, a United Kingdom woman killed by an ex-partner who had a reported history of violence against women that she was unaware of.

People who may be at risk can find out if their current or former partner has a history of:

  • domestic violence
  • stalking or harassment
  • breaches of no contact orders
  • sexual violence
  • other related acts (such as physical violence towards people outside of their intimate partner relationships)

There are 2 online applications available in order provide people with information about potentially harmful intimate partners:

  • right to know, an online application for police only
  • right to ask, an online application for all Albertans

Person at risk – an individual who may be at risk of domestic violence, and/or is eligible to receive disclosure under Clare's Law.

Person of disclosure – the person whose information is being disclosed to a person at risk.

Disclosure – a summary of available domestic violence and related information provided verbally to a person at risk by a police service.

For more information, see Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act protocol.

Right to know – for police use

Police can submit a right to know application online through the government of Alberta to proactively provide relevant information to an individual (person at risk) when:

  • police have reason to believe an act of domestic violence is reasonably likely to occur (for example, if police know your new partner has an extensive history of domestic violence, they can apply to disclose this information to you)

Right to know process and disclosure

After the police submit their right to know application, if there is domestic violence related information identified by the Government of Alberta, this will be shared with police who will then provide disclosure to the person at risk.

  • A person at risk will typically not be aware this application has been submitted by police.
  • Police will contact the person at risk, explain Clare’s Law, and offer to provide disclosure.
  • The person at risk has the right to either receive disclosure or decline.
  • They will also be offered domestic violence supports and services by police.

Login for police

Right to ask – for public use

Albertans who feel at risk of domestic violence can submit an online right to ask application to receive information about their current or former intimate partner’s history of domestic violence and related acts. Third parties with consent of the person at risk, parents of a minor, or substitute decision makers with proper legal authority can also apply on behalf of an individual they feel is at risk.

Eligible applicants can find out if the person of disclosure has a history of:

  • domestic violence
  • stalking or harassment
  • breaches of no contact orders
  • sexual violence
  • other relevant acts

The person of disclosure will not know or be told about your application requesting their information.

Information you receive at disclosure is confidential and cannot be used in legal proceedings or shared with anyone else.

Eligibility

To be eligible to receive information through the right to ask process the person at risk must:

  • reside in Alberta
  • be in, or previously have been in, an intimate partner relationship with the person of disclosure (this is a relationship between 2 people of any gender that is physically and/or emotionally close and includes current of former dating, common-law and marriage relationships)
  • be concerned the person of disclosure might cause you emotional or physical harm in the future (you must detail on the application why you are concerned)
  • have met the person of disclosure in person 
  • be willing to talk to and meet with police to receive the disclosure information

After application, it will take around 4 to 6 weeks to receive disclosure information

Application and disclosure process

  • Third party applications

    Third party applicants who do not have legal authority over a person at risk must have consent from the person at risk to submit the application. When the Government of Alberta receive the application they will contact the person at risk to confirm they gave consent.

    Examples of third party applicants without legal authority may be, but are not limited to:

    • friends
    • social workers
    • family members
    • shelter workers

    In these situations only the person at risk will receive the disclosure information, not the third party applicant.

    Examples of third party applicants with legal authority may be but are not limited to:

    • parents of minors and some adults with developmental disabilities
    • legal guardians
    • substitute decision makers

    In these situations the person at risk and the third party applicant can receive disclosure information.

  • Right to ask application process

    • All applications are submitted online to the Government of Alberta and the application takes about 30 minutes to complete
    • If you do not know the answers to any questions about the person of disclosure in the application, please do not place yourself at risk by attempting to find that information
    • The person of disclosure will not be made aware of the application
    • Initially, law enforcement databases will be checked for
      • the person of disclosure
      • the person at risk
      • third party applicants when applicable
    • Only information about the person of disclosure is shared at the time of the disclosure
    • After application, it will take around 4 to 6 weeks to receive disclosure information
      • This timeline depends on things such as:
        • the time required for making initial contact with applicants when additional information is needed to determine eligibility
        • delays obtaining information to analyze to determine if there is a history of domestic violence
        • any issues with scheduling and conducting a disclosure interview

    All applicants have the option to request a referral to supports and services on the application

  • Disclosure

    The person at risk (or eligible third party applicant who is the legal guardian of a person at risk) must meet with police in person to receive the requested information.

    Some disclosures may take place over video or phone call under certain circumstances.

    Disclosure information will summarize reported domestic violence and related behaviours. If available, disclosure information can include details about a person’s reported history of domestic violence, such as:

    • severity of domestic violence and related acts
    • frequency of domestic violence and related acts

    Disclosure information will not include:

    • a list of charges or convictions
    • a complete criminal record
    • any identifying information of previous victims

    Disclosure information is confidential and will only be shared with you verbally by police after a confidentiality agreement is signed.

    Disclosure information cannot be:

    • written down or recorded
    • shared with others
    • shared on social media
    • used in any legal proceedings (child custody hearings, divorce proceedings, other court process etc.)

Make an application

It takes about 30 minutes to fill out the form.

Clare’s Law application

Reminder: monitoring a person’s internet activity is a common controlling behaviour. You may want to clear your browsing history.

  • Collection notice

    The personal information of the applicant, person of disclosure and any applicable third parties collected through the ‘Clare’s Law’ application will be checked against law enforcement databases and used for the purpose of:

    • verifying identities
    • confirming eligibility for the Clare’s Law program
    • identifying/preventing program misuse
    • conducting an assessment of available information in order to determine a history of domestic violence or other related acts.
    • establishing the context of the intimate partner relationship
    • providing disclosure

    If you choose to proceed, the personal information you provide will then be:

    • used in accordance with Clare’s Law
    • provided to police for who may use the information for law enforcement purposes
    • used to connect you with social supports if you so desire
    • provided to the Government of Alberta for internal program evaluation

    This personal information collection is:

    • authorized under section 2 of the Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act
    • authorized under section 33 (a), (b) and (c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act
    • protected in accordance with sections 33 to 40 of the FOIP Act

    If you have any questions about this collection and use of personal information, email [email protected] or call 780-427-3460 or toll free 310-0000.

  • Privacy

    The person of disclosure will not be told there was an application for information about them.

    People can trust that their personal information will be safeguarded and only relevant details will be disclosed to those who are authorized to receive it.

    If a crime is reported – or if an applicant or person of disclosure or third party applicant (if applicable) has warrants – the police have a duty to respond and conduct an investigation in line with normal operating procedures.

    If a crime is reported, it may not be possible to protect the identity of the person at risk. 

    Regardless of any circumstances that may arise in the process, the Clare’s Law program will continue to be focused on providing information to persons at risk so they can protect themselves.

    • Support will continue to be offered to the person at risk.
    • The Clare’s Law process can run at the same time as any ongoing investigation.

    The Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act is enabled under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act. Privacy legislation in Alberta governs the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

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