Debate contribution: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
Debate contribution by Mr Stephen Dunne on .
- MLA
- Mr Stephen Dunne
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 14 January 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Opposition Business
- Heading
- Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4736255
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue. The statistics around violence against women and girls are truly shocking and totally unacceptable. The sad reality is that the figures may not even be an accurate or up-to-date reflection of where we are with this terrible issue. The figures may not demonstrate the true scale of the problem, as, tragically, many cases of domestic and sexual abuse go unreported due to fear and coercive control. As has been said, not even a home is always a safe place. This issue is a scourge that cannot and must not be ignored. Every life lost, every harrowing account of an incident and every family left devastated by such acts of violence call us to act decisively. I hope that the measures that are being discussed today can have a positive impact on female and male victims of gender-based violence as we seek to eradicate a scourge that affects every corner of Northern Ireland. The Justice Minister must take clear, affirmative action to ensure that our laws and the justice system are robust enough to protect victims, deliver justice and send a clear message that that kind of violence has no place in our society. A key part of the process is supportive measures that increase confidence amongst women and girls who are victims of such abuse to pursue prosecutions and bring perpetrators to justice. I welcome the work that has been undertaken by the Justice Department and the Executive Office, including the recent investment through the local change fund, which was announced this month, in collaboration with councils. That is a positive step forward and something on which to build.
Unfortunately, evidence from the Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime through the recent victims' survey suggests that confidence in our criminal justice system is currently lacking, with 50% of victims reported as being "dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with how they were treated. Meanwhile, 77% of those who responded to the survey reported that they were not given enough support during their court experience. Those startling realities are a reminder of the need to do better. The lack of support and confidence in our system will only discourage victims from coming forward. There is certainly a clear body of work to be done to improve everyone's experience of our justice system. Our amendment, which was ably proposed by my colleague from East Belfast Joanne Bunting, seeks to ensure that any changes in approach are firmly grounded in careful assessment and prior consultation. Doing so will ensure that protections are improved for victims while maintaining the important right to a fair trial. I acknowledge the valuable work carried out daily to support women who have experienced violence. I have seen in my constituency how valuable the live-saving and life-changing work of organisations such as Women's Aid is. Legislation alone cannot —
— address the epidemic. Education, prevention and support services must go hand in hand with urgent legal reform.
496 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: 0.04 (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 (0.92).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.97).
- 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 | 0.06 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.92 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.04 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.97 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.03 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.63 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.37 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:47 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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