Natalie Cassidy: We need Clares Law to protect women like me - The Sun

PLANS for Clare's Law can't come soon enough. After the death of Sarah Payne we fought for Sarah's Law - allowing parents in England and Wales to check if someone with access to their child is a convicted sex offender.

Victim ... Natalie Cassidy

Rex

Now the proposed Clare's Law will let women know if the man they are dating has a hidden history of domestic violence.

It is horrific to think one in four women will suffer violence at the hands of a partner at some point in their life.

The woman you walk past in the street may be a victim. Or it could be happening to one of your friends or family.

The problem is that victims are often scared and embarrassed about what's going on. So they hide and the abuse continues, often getting worse.

Debating the issues around Clare's Law would help get domestic violence out in the open. That might make it easier to speak out about it and stop it happening.

A lot of fathers, including Clare Wood's own dad, Michael Brown, are calling for this law as dads do worry about their daughters. My dad was worried about me but I didn't want to tell him what was going on as I didn't want to worry him.

People were shocked at what happened to me because they thought I was happy.

Abuse ... Natalie's ex Adam

When you've hidden it from your closest friends and family, it comes as a huge shock.

Since speaking out I've had a lot of support. I had an anonymous letter through my door, saying: "Natalie, it's so fantastic what you've done, you've managed to get out early. I've been in a relationship for 22 years and no one knows. I felt the need to write because now I'm stuck."

Maybe if you could find out the truth about a man before you started a serious relationship then this situation, which thousands of women face daily, could be avoided.

But we also have to remember a lot of it comes down to common sense. It might be the first time a man has been angry or violent towards a woman - so it wouldn't show up on any checks. Women must be very careful, too, about who they meet on the internet and the sense of immediacy an online relationship gives.

I've had a couple of friends who met people online who turned out to be conmen. And there is much worse that may be out there.

We should remember there are also a lot of women who abuse their partners.

If we have Clare's Law then one day we might need a John's Law too.

I'm not saying women should walk up to a man in a bar and demand to know their history and their relationship CV. But Clare's Law could save many women from having to go through the horrors of domestic violence.

That something so tragic as a murder should have to happen to make this come to light is terrible.

But if other people can be saved then maybe something positive will come from Clare Wood's needless death.