Member's statement: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
Member's statement by Ms Aoife Finnegan on .
- MLA
- Ms Aoife Finnegan
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 16 September 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5110907
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Ending violence against women and girls is one of the most urgent challenges facing our society today. It is a challenge that knows no boundaries. It affects women of every age, background and community. It demands action from every part of government, from every agency and from every one of us. We all know the statistics, but behind every number is a woman with a name, a family and a future that should never have been taken from her. Violence against women and girls is not inevitable. It is the result of choices, attitudes and a culture that all too often excuses or minimises harm. That is why, as public representatives, we have a responsibility to create the conditions for real change in workplaces, schools, homes and, yes, here in the Chamber. The truth is this: the culture that allows violence to persist starts not with physical acts but with words, attitudes and the behaviours that tell women that their voices matter less, that their place in public life is conditional and that their right to respect is up for debate. If we in the Assembly cannot set the highest standards of respect and inclusion, how can we expect society to follow? When the public sees harmful behaviours going unchallenged, it sends a message that, even in the highest political office, women can still be belittled, sidelined or silenced. Every day, strong women enter the Chamber, which, in itself, takes courage, consideration and compromise, but courage should not be the entry fee for political participation. This space should be safe, respectful and inclusive, not because that is in the rule book but because it is the right thing to do. Ending violence against women and girls is not about what we oppose; it is about the example that we set. The way we conduct ourselves here must reflect the society that we are trying to build, one where dignity is upheld, differences are debated without demeaning and leadership is shown through respect, not control. The best leaders lead with respect, integrity and fairness. If we want our words on ending violence against women and girls to mean anything beyond these walls, we must live them in the Chamber every day.
370 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: 0.05 (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).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.80).
- Subject area: Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups.
- 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 | 0.16 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.03 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.15 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.26 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.05 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.80 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.20 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.62 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.38 |
| 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 13:12 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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