Member's statement: Violence Against Women and Girls

Member's statement by Mr Matthew O'Toole on 21 October 2024.

MLA

Mr Matthew O'Toole

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

21 October 2024

Type

Member's statement

Business

Members' Statements

Heading

Violence Against Women and Girls

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4603409

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I want to raise, as Emma Sheerin did, the epidemic of violence against women and femicide in this society. On the front of the 'Belfast Telegraph' today, we see listed the 42 women who have lost their lives in recent years. They did not just lose their lives; they had their lives violently and brutally taken from them. It is extremely important that the cancer of violence against women and femicide is dealt with. That will require a multi-level approach, led by the Executive. I welcome the fact that the First Minister and deputy First Minister and the Executive writ large have set that as a priority, and I say that sincerely. It is extremely important. In my constituency in recent weeks, we have seen murders, including that of Mary Ward, who was taken violently. What is happening and has happened to women is almost beyond comprehension and words. It shames us all. It calls on us to do everything that we can, as legislators but also as human beings, to stand for both a serious criminal justice response and a more fulsome policy response that tackles the root causes of misogyny. I raise specifically a connected issue that touches on the work of the Justice Minister and the Justice Department. It is one that, I hope, the Executive and the Minister will take forward. The Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, which was passed in the previous mandate, included a provision, which has now been in part disapplied after a court ruling, relating to anonymity of suspects after their death. A court rightly ruled that that was not just a violation of press freedom but was wholly counter-productive. Section 8 of that Act includes a provision for post-death anonymity for victims, which, in many ways, is understandable. Lifetime anonymity for victims of rape is, of course, something that we all support, but there is a concern that has been brought to me by members of the media in Northern Ireland that we face a serious situation: in a case where a woman has been raped and murdered, the media is now, legally, not able to report the fact that she was raped. It is a grim subject to have to discuss, but it is important. A high proportion of women who are murdered by men are also raped by them. As we deal with issues surrounding sexual violence and violence against women, we must understand the full scope of it. We must understand how serious it is. The law makes it illegal for media organisations to report that a murder victim has also been raped. I would like the Justice Minister to address that legislation urgently —

— and see what can be done to either repeal or amend it.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:23 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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