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Thousands of islanders are now using dating apps like Tinder, Bumble or Hinge to find love, relying on photos and written profiles to work out if strangers could be a match – it's a risky business, which, for some, can have dangerous consequences. To help, a "safety net" law allows people to find out whether their partner has been abusive in the past – but less than 10 islanders a year are making use of it.
The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme was introduced in Jersey in 2014, and allows anyone to get information on a current or ex-partner from the police.
It is commonly known as 'Clare's Law' – named after Clare Woods, who was murdered by her partner in England.
But the number of people who ask for this information in Jersey is "in the single digits", according to Detective Superintendent Alison Fossey.
It is possible to use Clare's Law on behalf of someone else and officers would contact "the person we think is in the best position to protect them", the police officer explained.
Police can also proactively contact people who have entered a relationship with a serial abuser under what is known as the 'right to know' provision in the law.
In 2022, 24 people were contacted in this way. That number rose to 25 in 2023, and 39 people were contacted as of 31 October 2024.
One of the islanders who was contacted under the 'right to know' provision is Suzie Mahe.
Police got in touch with her in 2022, when she was dating ex-Shinzo boss Gavin Roberts.
The 45-year-old restauranteur was later convicted of raping, sexually assaulting, and assaulting Suzie in a nine-day Royal Court trial. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment last week.
Pictured: Suzie waived her right to anonymity to encourage other women to speak up, and start a push for legislative change to provide more protection for victims.
Two years before this, Suzie was called to meet officers at the police station, who informed her of the "multiple run-ins" that Roberts had had with police in the past. She was not allowed to share this information at the time.
Police didn't notice that Suzie already had bruises inflicted by Roberts then – but she took pictures of them, and they were later used as evidence in his trial.
Speaking to Express, Suzie said: "Being a young woman on a dating website, meeting new men with a young daughter, I wish I knew [about Clare's Law] sooner.
"I think there's a lot of people who can benefit from knowing about it, and it just makes it safer being on dating websites."
Suzie now routinely uses the provision to find out if potential partners present a risk.
"I've had disclosures back, and I've been really shocked," she said.
"You have to be very careful. But a lot of women don't know that this is available to them."
Pictured: Suzie wanted to share pictures of the injuries she sustained in the assaults.
Police are today launching a campaign encouraging more people to use Clare's Law.
Det Supt Fossey acknowledged that like in Suzie's case, people might not take "immediate action".
"It puts them in a position of knowledge to take the right action to safeguard and protect themselves and their family," she said.
Sarah Hamon, the head of the Jersey Domestic Abuse Service, explained that abusers are often serial abusers.
"Abusers see vulnerability in people," she said.
"I would say that a number of our higher-risk clients have been from abusive relationship into another abusive relationship, and people wear their vulnerability on their sleeve."
Pictured: Suzie documented the bruises she was left with after being assaulted by Gavin Roberts.
She added: "We always encourage people to do checks on their partners. We've had a number where when we go to them to say we're aware of something, and here's some information about that person, it doesn't make a huge difference to their stance and their approach to that relationship at the time.
"We would continue to offer guidance, safety, support, and encourage them to report any concerns they have. And what we find is that people come back to us at a later stage to say: 'I know that you told me that, and I didn't really listen at the time, but I'm listening now.'
"That gives them strength to to break away and make the right decisions."
Suzie acknowledged that there are still some improvements that could be made to the Clare's Law process. She explained she might have been more comfortable speaking in her own home, and that if she had been invited to remove her jacket, officers would have noticed the bruising on her neck from having been strangled right away.
But she still described Clare's Law as "a lifesaver".
Pictured: Suzie described Clare's Law as a "lifesaver".
"It's a safety net for yourself," she explained.
"You would much rather be upset for a week because you've met someone and thought they were the right person but you hear this information, than be three months down the line and the person is showing concerning behaviours."
Under Clare’s Law, you have the right to:
Make an application to the police requesting information about your current or ex-partner, because you are worried they may have been abusive in the past and believe they may pose a risk to you in future.
Request information from the police about the current or ex-partner of a close friend, neighbour or family member, because you are concerned that they might be at risk of domestic abuse in future.
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Islanders affected by any of the issues raised in this report can contact any of the following:
SARC at Dewberry House provides expert independent and confidential support to victims of sexual abuse. Tel: 01534 888222.
Jersey Action Against Rape (JAAR) provide and maintain a supporting framework for survivors and their families. Confidential helpline: 01534 482800.
Freeda (formerly Jersey Women’s Refuge) offer help and support for victims of domestic abuse. Tel: 0800 7356836.
Jersey Domestic Abuse Support (JDAS) is an independent service developed to protect and support victims of domestic and sexual abuse. Tel: 01534 880505.
Victim Support offer free and confidential advice to victims of crime. Tel: 01534 440496.
Victims First Jersey is a free and independent service offering confidential support to victims and witnesses of crime. Tel: 0800 7351612.
Samaritans offer a confidential and non-judgemental listening ear to people who need to talk. Tel: 116 123 free from any phone or 0330 094 5717 (local call charges apply).
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