‘Best that exists globally’: South Australia’s domestic violence disclosure scheme provides relief and freedom

‘I cannot articulate the freedom I feel now.’ Some of the 2,581 people to apply for SA’s domestic disclosure scheme speak to the programs success. Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design

When Sophie* attended a domestic violence disclosure meeting with South Australian police and a domestic violence support worker, she was curled in on herself and could barely speak.

Her friend, who accompanied her as a support person, had been the one to apply on Sophie’s behalf to the disclosure scheme, which allows victims of family violence to be told of their partner’s history of violent crimes, so that Sophie could find out information about her partner.