Debate contribution: Strategic Framework to End Violence against Women and Girls: Implementation

Debate contribution by Mr Justin McNulty on 26 February 2024.

MLA

Mr Justin McNulty

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

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 4230675

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I wholeheartedly support the motion. The levels of violence against women and girls in the North are terrifying. Reading the motion is disturbing. As I speak, women and girls are suffering and living in fear and terror in their own homes. Women and girls are suffering years after the trauma of violence or abuse has been visited upon them. Some of the facts that have been mentioned in the debate are equally terrifying. Since 2021, the North has had the joint highest rate of femicide in Europe. On average, one woman is killed every three months. Research conducted by Ulster University found that 98% of women have experienced at least one form of violence or abuse in their lifetime. Of the 540 women surveyed by Ulster University, seven out of 10 had experienced some form of violence or abuse within the past 12 months: 29% from strangers, 23% from romantic partners and 19% from a friend or acquaintance. Harrowingly, 26% reported that that violence or abuse had occurred in their own home. Only one in three of those surveyed by Ulster University felt able to speak up about or report the incident. Shame and embarrassment were cited as the primary reasons for not coming forward. The Women's Policy Group NI has found that men's violence against women and girls has reached endemic levels. Research that it conducted showed that 80% of women surveyed first experienced men's violence before the age of 20. Incredibly, it took until 2021 for the Northern Ireland Executive to even agree that a violence against women and girls strategy should exist. It is right that the motion laments funding cuts by the British Government with respect to early intervention and rehabilitation services and the community and voluntary sector, including Women's Aid, but it is equally important to lament the fact that, in the face of an emergency that claims the life of one woman every three months, our Executive have failed to act. Let us focus on advocating a fully funded strategy. That is more meaningful and conducive to addressing the crisis than attacking London for failing to provide funding for an unimplemented strategy. The life of a woman is being lost every three months. That is not an abstract statistic on paper; it is fact. Those women have names such as Natalie McNally and Ashling Murphy. It is 425 days since Natalie's life and that of her unborn child were taken and 775 days since Ashling Murphy's life was taken. So many other women's lives have been taken in that time. I pay tribute to Noel and Bernadette McNally and their three sons for how they have moved through their trauma, grief, heartbreak and sadness to share only love, kindness and hope. They will lead a Women's Aid conference in Newry on Wednesday that I encourage everybody here to attend. Thousands of others whom you will never hear of or know have lost their life or been abused in their own homes by people they know. Some women feel too much shame to come forward. Some women who come forward are unable to overcome obstacles in the justice system. The strategy, legislation and associated funding must be as cross-cutting as the crisis that is engulfing us. The united efforts of the Executive must transcend political ideology and departmental responsibilities. Action to address violence against women and girls must be aimed at facilitating a profound paradigm shift. It must overhaul toxic cultures and attitudes with respect to women and girls. The fact that the North of Ireland has the joint highest rate of femicide in Europe brings great shame and disgrace on everyone in the House. The only appropriate response to this crisis engulfing our society —

— is for government and every Member of the Assembly to put their might behind a fully funded, far-reaching and cross-departmental response that can begin to address it and save us from our collective shame.

656 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 09:38 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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