Our reporter, Olivia Preston, went to Bedfordshire Police headquarters in Kempston to speak to the team tackling domestic violence, protecting vulnerable people and educating the public about abuse.

Latest figures from the Home Office found that there were 7,993 domestic abuse-related crimes recorded by Bedfordshire Police in the year to March – up from 7,913 the year before. But only 8 per cent resulted of these crimes resulted in a charge or summons.

I spoke with Paul Cheadle, a public protection intervention manager at the force. It’s his job to be on the cutting edge of safeguarding and utilising new skills and legal powers to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.

Clare’s Law, also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, is one of those tools that gives people the right to know if their current or ex-partner has any previous history of violence or abuse. The scheme is named after Clare Wood, who was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend in 2009.

Scottish Government statistics show there were 63,867 domestic abuse incidents recorded between 2023 and 2024. 81 per cent involved a male perpetrator and female victim with 15 per cent involving a female perpetrator. Around 35 per cent of all incidents (where age is known) involved a male perpetrator under the age of 35.

placeholder image — Scottish Government statistics show there were 63,867 domestic abuse incidents recorded between 2023 and 2024. 81 per cent involved a male perpetrator and female victim with 15 per cent involving a female perpetrator. Around 35 per cent of all incidents (where age is known) involved a male perpetrator under the age of 35.

Paul, who served in the Met for 30 years, said: “It’s the only proactive tool that policing has to inform people who are at risk of domestic abuse, about who they are really in a relationship with.”

In 2024, the force gave out information in over 350 cases.

Paul explained “There is no bar to gender, sexuality or age. We have disclosed to a 14-year-old and a 96-year-old. Just fill out a form, fill it in. If you are doing it for someone else, you put the information about the relationship there.”

The police have 28 days to assess the situation and get back to you with information.

Netflix hit Baby Reindeer, starring Richard Gadd, began as a one-man Francesca Moody Productions show on the Fringe.

Paul said: “We get it when friends come to us to say that someone they know is in a new relationship and since being in the relationship she has been cut off. It may be that that person has been through domestic abuse themselves or is aware of it, and has put a referral in on behalf of their friend.

“We wouldn't tell the victim where the information came from.”

The scope of the tool has changed to include a new perspective on romantic relationships and how they are formed nowadays.

Paul said: “We’ve now got a modern view of the term ‘relationship’, whereas previously for Clare’s Law, it would be just for intimate relationships. The vast majority of people form relationships online and may have met a couple of times in person. That next stage – that’s the point we go for Clare’s Law.”

There are 142 different crimes that suggest they can be disclosed through Clare’s Law.

In the past year, victims have opened up about their abuse at the hands of their partner after receiving disclosures about past offences.

Detective Superintendent Emma Pitts from Bedfordshire Police’s Public Protection Unit said: “We understand that it’s difficult for people living with abuse and in fear to speak out, whether you are experiencing abuse yourself, or you are worried for someone you know, please know there is always help available.

“Here at Bedfordshire Police, we have incredible Victim Engagement Officers, who aim to support and protect victims from the very first report.

“No one needs to suffer in silence. We will be ready to listen when you are ready to talk. Always remember you can reach us in an emergency or if there is a threat to life by calling 999.”

Detective Sergeant Ben Searle works in the Protecting Vulnerable People unit which deals with serious crimes against children and adults, including rape, serious sexual offences, child abuse, and vulnerable adult abuse.

The National Stalking Consortium raised a national complaint to say that police forces are not responding to stalking crimes effectively and appropriately.

DS Searle said: “We've introduced, in the last five months, two stalking specialist officers. They’re there to be the coordinator for all the stalking investigations. They manage the civil orders, so we can apply for stalking protection orders.”

DS Searle has made his latest project about explaining the impacts of stalking and educating people about who can be a victim of stalking.

He said: “For instance, a child who grows up in a domestic, abusive relationship stereotypically sees dad beating mum.

"As a boy growing up, they're more likely to then go into a relationship where they will become an abuser because they see that as normal, that normalisation of behaviour.

“And as a girl, they're more likely to fall into a relationship where they become a victim of those sorts of relationships.

"It's about breaking that cycle, we don't want people to become perpetrators. We don't want people to become victims.”

While we may think stalking is limited to people being followed or harassed in public, the force is seeing the majority of its stalking crimes taking place online.

DS Searle explained: “This is where the perception of stalking is perhaps not understood in public because stalking is as simple as two or more unwanted contacts or engagements.”

The public may have a certain idea of who can be a victim of stalking, but the force hopes to open people’s eyes to the reality that this can happen to anyone.

DS Searle said: “Men don't really want to report it as quite a bravado type thing. But with younger people, they're used to the online, constant, text messages, things like that. So it takes a bit more to actually get the police involved.

“If they report something, it might have been going on for a long time, and they don't report it until months and years later until many incidents have happened.”

This year, the team will work on spreading more awareness and educating the community about stalking.

In 2024, a show came to Netflix that shone a spotlight on male victims of stalking with Baby Reindeer telling the story of Richard Gadd's victimization and other forms of abuse after meeting a woman while working behind a bar.

DS Searle added: “That was one of the good things to come out of Baby Reindeer – with the male victims, we did see a spike in reporting.”

Reporting is the most important thing for DS Searle who says: “If we don’t know, we can’t help.”

He gave some simple steps for anyone who is being stalked:

Report it to the police – no matter how small you might think it is

Do this straight away – don’t let it go on and not say anything, tell someone soon

Trust your instincts – use your gut

Tell people around you – make sure you involve others in what is going on so they are aware of your situation

Keep a record – make notes of what is happening and save screenshots

Don’t block – blocking the offender can make things worse, so keep that channel open to allow them to talk and stop it from escalating.

For Ben, the best part of his difficult job is putting things in place to protect those most at risk.

He added: “Especially when we're talking about stalking, we are one step away from murder. It's not far for stalking to escalate into serious violence or when someone has their control threatened and escalates really quickly.”

The figures also show there have been 353 domestic homicide victims between the years ending March 2021 and March 2023, including four recorded by Bedfordshire Police. Of the victims, 231 were women (65 per cent).