WOMEN will be able to check if a new boyfriend has a violent past under a scheme being considered by the WA Law Reform Commission.

The proposal is being looked at as part of a wider review of the state's domestic violence laws.

The idea for the public disclosure scheme is based on a similar initiative in the UK known as Clare's Law. After successful pilot programs in four major cities there, the law will be rolled out across the UK in March.

Anti-domestic violence campaigners in WA say the scheme - allowing police to disclose sensitive information - would help women who had concerns for their safety.

But the legal fraternity warns it could be abused.

The WA Law Reform Commission has invited submissions - which close at the end of this month - on the proposal despite having its own reservations.

In a discussion paper last month, the commission said any potential benefit needed to be considered in the context of "potential detriments" of other schemes, such as the public sex offender register that was launched in October 2012.

"There is a real risk that the disclosure process will provide a false sense of security to an applicant where there is no information to disclose," the paper said.

"In addition, disclosure of past history of family and domestic violence may carry with it a risk of its own if the person receiving the information decides to raise it with the perpetrator.

"Further problems may arise if information received is passed on to other persons."

In the UK, 386 people, mostly women, have made applications seeking information about their partners since the pilot programs were launched two years ago. Of those, 25 per cent were from a concerned third party such as a parent or guardian. From the 386, 111 applicants were successful.

The UK scheme also allows police and other agencies to disclose information to a person they know is at risk without that person needing to make an application.

In WA, the Women's Council for Family and Domestic Violence supports the introduction of the scheme in conjunction with other initiatives.

"There's an element of the UK model that will give greater access for victims in new relationships where they start to fear for their safety, where they can contact police and be given some sort of an idea if (the partner) has a violent history," chief executive Angela Hartwig said.

Shash Nigam from the Australian Lawyers Alliance said there could be some benefits from such a scheme, but was more concerned that it would be abused.