Statistics show this province has a serious issue with violence against women.

Many are applauding legislation passed in the House of Assembly yesterday called Clare’s Law which gives police the ability to tell a woman if her partner has a violent or abusive past.

Lynn Moore is a founding partner of Morris Martin Moore who specializes in sexual abuse litigation. She says there are a number of men in the province who are serial abusers of women. They go from women to woman and don’t stop beating or harassing one woman until they find another.

The law is named after Clare Wood of Manchester in the UK, who was killed by a man with a history of violence. The law has since been adopted in a number of jurisdictions including the UK, Saskatchewan and now Newfoundland and Labrador.

Moore says legislation like this is an important step in prevention.

Moore says the police have a wealth of information at their disposal about violent men in our province and they have been reluctant to share the information with potential victims due to privacy concerns. This law gives police the opportunity to share their concerns.

Moore says if you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, you can call the Iris Kirby House at 1-877-753-1492. They have a vast array of resources they can provide to women in this situation.