Debate contribution: Strategic Framework to End Violence against Women and Girls: Implementation
Debate contribution by Mrs Linda Dillon on .
- MLA
- Mrs Linda Dillon
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 26 February 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Strategic Framework to End Violence against Women and Girls: Implementation
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4230652
Read the official Assembly record
Text
This is a difficult topic to speak to, because it is so real for so many women and girls every day of their life. It causes untold damage and trans-generational trauma. We in the Chamber have a responsibility to show leadership on the issue of violence against women and girls. There can be no level of tolerance of misogyny or abusive behaviour in our society. It will require a cultural change that will take many years and cannot be seen as solely a judicial problem, because the law alone cannot address the cultural change that is required. Change begins in our homes, schools, sporting organisations and clubs, and every one of us must be part of the solution. To change the culture, we need a reset in our education system. Our young people — young women, girls and boys — need to know what a healthy relationship looks like. They need to know what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. We need age-appropriate sex education. One of the most valuable programmes that have been rolled out in recent years is the NSPCC's Talk PANTS. As a mother of a young child at the time, I would not have had the knowledge of how to have that conversation in an age-appropriate way. It was on the radio, however, and it taught me how to do that. That was extremely valuable, because it had the potential to protect my child. Everybody should have that conversation with their children, and it needs to be done in conjunction with organisations such as the NSPCC and Women's Aid, which fully understand the impact but also understand how to do it in the right way, at the right time, with the right people. Unfortunately, some children are as young as small babies when they are first abused, so we cannot wait until children are teenagers in secondary school. We need to have those conversations with them at a very young age. Silence and shame are what perpetrators rely on. It is what shields them and allows them to carry out their horrific acts. I listened to Amanda Brown talk about her guilt at not speaking out sooner. She thought that her silence would protect her family. Silence makes the victim think that somehow it is their fault: that is what silence does. I think of women such as Caoimhe Morgan in north Belfast and Katrina Rainey in Knockloughrim, murdered in front of their children. A victim is not just the person who dies or who is abused: their children, who are witnesses to the violence and abuse, and their children's children will suffer because of it. All the information that we have tells us that violence and abuse of women and girls is mostly carried out by people whom they know and trust: partners, husbands, fathers, other family members and family friends. That needs to be a part of the conversation. We cannot keep it to stranger danger — those evil people who are out there somewhere whom you do not know — rather, they are the people whom you know and trust. They are the people who are supposed to love you. Abuse and violence against women and girls knows no barriers. Victims and perpetrators come from all backgrounds. Victims and perpetrators are doctors, teachers, shop assistants, nurses, police officers and elected representatives. The strategy to tackle violence against women and girls needs to include every element: education, support services, policing, the courts and much more. If we get this right, we can transform the lives of women and girls and transform our society. We have seen the immeasurable pain that is caused to families when their mother or daughter is murdered, in most cases by a partner or an ex-partner, who is the very person who was supposed to love her, be good to her and protect her. We need to end the silence and see greater reporting and better support for those who take that brave step. We have seen a lot in the way of legislation, but legislation alone cannot protect women and girls. It is how that legislation is implemented and how the courts deal with perpetrators that matters. Bail conditions and delays in the judicial system must be improved in order to give women and girls the confidence to come forward. I have a 15-year-old daughter, and I talk openly with her about what is appropriate behaviour and what is not. I talk to her about challenging misogyny among her friendship group, but I want to see age-appropriate relationships and sexuality education being standardised across all schools, so that I know that all our young people are being taught better than we were. Frankly, it is not good enough that that is not in place in 2024. Ending violence against women and girls is the responsibility of all of us. Let us take that responsibility seriously. Let us take it on together and finally end violence against all women and girls across our society.
833 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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