In Ireland, it will be possible to officially check if a potential partner has a domestic violence conviction
Ireland has approved a landmark law providing for the creation of the country’s first public register of persons convicted of serious crimes related to domestic violence.
The innovation is expected to help people check whether a potential partner has a history of violence, thereby contributing to the prevention of new crimes.
The relevant bill, the Domestic Violence (Judgements) Register Bill, known as "Jennie’s Law," was passed by the Irish parliament (Dáil). The document is the result of a years-long campaign led by the family of Jennifer Poole, CNN notes.
24-year-old mother of two Jennifer Poole was killed in April 2021 by her former partner. It later emerged that the woman did not know he already had a history of domestic violence and had been convicted of assaulting a previous partner.
What data the register will contain
The new online register will publish the names of persons convicted of the most serious crimes related to domestic violence, including:
- rape;
- sexual violence;
- non-fatal strangulation;
- stalking;
- coercive control;
- distribution of intimate images without the consent of the victim.
At the same time, the register will not be fully automatic. The judge who heard the case will have the right to decide whether publishing the information is appropriate, taking into account the circumstances of the specific case. In addition, the name of the convicted person may be published only with the consent of the victim.
The open access will include the name of the convicted person, information about the verdict, and the sentence imposed. The register will be hosted on the official website of the Irish Judicial Service. The law also allows convicted persons to apply for removal of information from the register, but not earlier than three years after the verdict was issued.
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