Debate contribution: Nexus: 40th Anniversary

Debate contribution by Ms Diane Forsythe on 9 December 2024.

MLA

Ms Diane Forsythe

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

9 December 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Nexus: 40th Anniversary

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4698769

Read the official Assembly record

Text

It is an honour to rise today to speak to this all-party motion tabled by the Northern Ireland Assembly Women's Caucus. I thank our chair for leading on the motion. With female representatives now composing over one third of the House, it has been a pleasure to join together in the Women's Caucus to discuss issues that we unite in sharing and supporting. Today, we join in recognising the 40th anniversary of Nexus, which started from humble beginnings as a group of volunteers in south Belfast. Today, Nexus is an organisation that supports adults, children and young people impacted by sexual abuse across Northern Ireland. We are not here to celebrate the fact that, 40 years on, there is still a need for the service; we are here to remind people that support is available. As chair of the all-party group on domestic and sexual violence and the all-party group on the voluntary and community sector, I care about the issues. I care about the victims of those crimes and realise that they need support, and I recognise the real truth that, on the ground, it is our voluntary and community sector groups that provide most of the support that is needed. We always need to put the victims at the heart of the conversations and reflect on their needs. We give a voice to those victims in the Assembly. Crimes of sexual violence are heinous and cause huge physical and emotional trauma to the victims. Such crimes are significantly under-reported due to their nature, the extreme personal violation and the associated shame, coupled with victims' belief that they will not be believed. It is challenging to get people to acknowledge what has happened to them and get them to seek the support that they need. Many of those who come forward for support are reluctant to report the matter to the police or take the charges through the justice system due to the re-traumatisation associated with our criminal justice system and the continuous reliving of their trauma as well as the fact that they often have to face their perpetrator in court. Organisations like Nexus are often the first port of call for victims as they struggle to come to terms with what has happened to them and look for support. Our voluntary and community sector groups should be commended for providing advice and advocacy support to victims to help them navigate the justice system. Other organisations working in this space include Women's Aid, the Men's Advisory Project and ASSIST NI. In my area, in the Southern Trust, we have the excellent services of Advocacy VSV. I commend all those working to support people impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships. They save lives every day. The stories of the victims, who are predominantly women, are absolutely heartbreaking. It is most welcome that ending violence against women and girls has been highlighted as a key Executive priority in the draft Programme for Government (PFG). The recent launch of the strategic framework was a landmark in Northern Ireland. It was so long overdue but so very welcome. There are many strands to that work, one of which is supporting actions to tackle all forms of sexual abuse and abusive relationships, including properly funding organisations that provide the front-line support to victims of sexual abuse and investment in raising awareness and prevention measures. Our justice system also needs to play a key part. It is devastating that so many in our country have experienced sexual abuse and abusive relationships. However, in the 40 years that we have had Nexus in place, there has been some change. In recent years, we have seen work being done to tackle domestic abuse through the introduction of new offences such as coercive control. We have banned stalking, upskirting, downblousing and cyber-flashing. We have moved to give victims who decide to report abuse better protection and support during their court hearings, but there is more work to be done. The Justice Minister has the ability to introduce domestic abuse protection notices and must move forward with that work. Their introduction would make a real difference to the safety of those at risk of harm from domestic abuse. We must do everything possible before any more lives are lost. Today, on the news, it was reported that over 1,200 people have been arrested for the new offence of non-fatal strangulation since June 2023. That demonstrates the overwhelming need for legislation in this space, but it also shows how changes in the law that are needed can save lives. We can make a difference here. I close by again congratulating Nexus on its excellent work in this space over the past 40 years. I remember the victims of sexual violence in Northern Ireland and pray that we see improvements in the services that are needed here.

Today, we stand together and send a clear message that support is available for victims of abuse, regardless of when that abuse took place.

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

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:41 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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