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namely, “repeated” verbal abuse that degrades a partner’s dignity
43
or undermines a partner’s physical or mental health an offense
punishable by up to three years of jail time. As a result, this law has
created what might be considered a tripwire that can trigger police
intervention. The goal is to preempt acts of physical violence by
having police intervention in a timely fashion to stop them before
they occur. In particular, this law targets psychological violence in
the household that is often manifested in terms of abusive words
and gestures. Debated and enacted within the context of “a general
campaign,” this law is the outcome of considering the phenomenon
of VAW to be “the great national cause.”
44
The logic behind the
French law posits that “psychological violence always precedes
[physical] blows” (Davies, 2010). Thus, before physical strikes are
landed, victims have recourse to early intervention.
Along the same line of taking preemptive actions,
governments in England and Wales have implemented a scheme
that would disclose people’s history of domestic violence.
45
The
English and Welsh law provides information to people
proactively
so they may make informed decisions about a partner and escape if
necessary. Two rights are created. The first is the right-to-ask,
which can be triggered when people apply to police for information
on a partner’s history of abuse and violence against women. The
second is the right-to-know, which can be triggered when police
take the initiative to tell would-be victims the information in
prescribed circumstances. Naturally, before any disclosure is made,
strict precautions must be taken in order to safeguard all the parties’
civil rights. A panel of police, probation services and other agencies
43
A discussion of the individual’s dignity and equal status is found in Kateb (2011:
chap. 1).
44
Nadine Morano, then minister for family affairs (Rotman, 2010). Translation
mine. According to the official data on domestic violence, in 2009, on average
one woman dies every two and a half days in France (Conseil National des
Femmes Françaises, 2010).
45
Officially known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, it has been rolled
out across England and Wales on International Women’s Day (Topping, 2014).
