Domestic violence register must include safeguards to combat 'unintended consequences'

Offaly Domestic Violence Support Service said: 'Victims may be placed under significant pressure by perpetrators, family, or community members to withhold consent for publication or, conversely, to consent against their own wishes.' File picture

There must be safeguards to stop victims of domestic violence suffering “unintended consequences” from the creation of a publicly accessible domestic violence register, the Government has been told.

The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has pointed out that while the register will contain the personal data of the offender, “there is considerable potential for the public identification of the victim following publication, and further serious impact in their own lives”.