Debate contribution: Troubles-related Sexual Crimes and Child Sexual Abuse
Debate contribution by Mrs Pam Cameron on .
- MLA
- Mrs Pam Cameron
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 17 February 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Troubles-related Sexual Crimes and Child Sexual Abuse
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5395022
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the UUP Members who tabled this important motion. Crimes of a sexual nature, including child sexual abuse, are among the most serious and damaging crimes that can occur. They have a profound and long-lasting impact on victims and their families. Victims and survivors of sexual abuse deserve to be seen, heard and protected. We recognise the immense harm caused by sexual abuse and the lasting physical and psychological impact that it has on those affected. Such crimes do not fade with time. Time does not heal those wounds or erase those crimes. The House has seen through the historical institutional abuse and truth recovery processes and the investigations of historical clerical child abuse how important acknowledgement, truth and justice are for victims. For many, being recognised and believed is a vital part of that journey. Sexual abuse during the Troubles is too often overlooked in wider discussions about the violence of the period. That is wrong, and it must be addressed. Sexual violence occurred during the Troubles. Its impact was real, and it continues to be felt today. Excluding those crimes from legacy mechanisms risks sending the message that some victims matter less than others, and that is not acceptable. I acknowledge the good work being undertaken by the Executive Office through the ending violence against women and girls strategy and the strategy for victims and survivors. That work is important. It does not, however, remove the need for victims of Troubles-related sexual abuse to have access to legacy investigations. We want all victims of sexual abuse to be supported and have access to services that meet their needs for as long as that support is required. Victims should not be excluded because of the nature of the crime committed against them. That is why we support the motion and call on the UK Government to ensure that victims of Troubles-related sexual violence are included in legacy arrangements. Crimes of a sexual nature, including rape and child sexual abuse, should be recognised as a separate qualifying category, alongside serious injury and death. Any approach must be victim-centred and trauma-informed. Victims' needs and experiences must be at the heart of the decision-making process, and care must be taken to avoid retraumatisation. The motion is about fairness and recognition. It is about ensuring that victims of sexual abuse are no longer overlooked, and I support it.
396 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not qualifying”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.07 (qualifying needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not qualifying).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.89).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.99).
- Subject area: Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-qualifying 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 | 0.07 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.05 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.89 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.07 | At or below not-qualifying threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.99 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.01 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism | 0.40 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.32 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.27 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:52 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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