Debate contribution: Domestic Abuse Calls: Christmas Increase
Debate contribution by Mrs Naomi Long on .
- MLA
- Mrs Naomi Long
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 13 January 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Domestic Abuse Calls: Christmas Increase
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4738168
Read the official Assembly record
Text
It is well known that, during periods in which people are confined to home and do not have access to work, school, employment or other diversions, sadly, the number of reports of domestic incidents, abuse and violence increases. Times where financial pressure is layered upon that, particularly around Christmas, can exacerbate that further, and, in a culture in which the celebrations often tend towards alcohol, that can further exacerbate any underlying issues in households. It is not unusual for there to be a spike in domestic incidents during the Christmas period. However, it is not acceptable that anyone should be in fear in their home at any time of year, be that Christmas, Easter or any other period. It is important that the PSNI has the tools, which we provided through the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act, to respond appropriately to those incidents and that we have the other support services in place to provide, as part of the domestic and sexual abuse strategy, front-line support to people who are affected directly by domestic violence and abuse. It is sad to see that those issues are seasonal, but it is also true to say that the police brace themselves for an increase in calls in the aftermath of large sporting events for largely the same reasons: people are at home, they have taken alcohol, their team loses or wins, and, sadly, the people who live in the household with them are the ones who suffer the most.
248 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.76).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.04 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.76 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.67 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.17 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.14 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.02 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:42 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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