Debate contribution: Troubles-related Sexual Crimes and Child Sexual Abuse

Debate contribution by Miss Deirdre Hargey on 17 February 2026.

MLA

Miss Deirdre Hargey

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

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 5395028

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I welcome the opportunity to speak in today's debate. As we have heard from everyone who has spoken so far, our society is still impacted on by the legacy of the conflict. That legacy impacted on our communities in different forms: death and injury; trauma; mental health; and discriminatory policies and planning that physically contained and segregated our communities. Sexual violence was part of that legacy, and I acknowledge that it caused huge harm and trauma across our communities. When looking at the impact of our conflict, we see that those voices have not always been heard in the societal conversation. That is on top of a history of poor treatment of victims and survivors of such abuse across our island by state institutions and others in our society, resulting in many crimes not being reported or victims being silenced. We must break that silence.

As was mentioned earlier, we saw that abuse come to light as a result of the Kincora scandal. There is growing evidence that British state intelligence agencies had knowledge of sexual abuse but did not intervene. A Police Ombudsman's report in 2022 outlined how the complaints that were made about the failure of the police to investigate sexual abuse in Belfast boys' homes were legitimate and justified. Had appropriate action been taken at the time, children would not have been further abused. It is important to state that, where any allegations exist, the PSNI should investigate them. There have been efforts made to look at institutional abuse. In addressing legacy, we must ensure that legislation is victim-centred and, importantly, compliant with international human rights law. There should be no amnesty, nor should there be a hierarchy of victims. In dealing with the past, we must also recognise that there are different perspectives and narratives and that all voices must be heard and included. My own father suffered torture and abuse at the hands of the state by RUC Special Branch when he was taken to Palace Barracks. He was forced down on the ground and physically tortured, including torture of a sexual nature, by way of electric shock treatment on his private parts. They laughed and shouted at him that he would never have children. Thankfully, he had eight children. That torture continued when he was hooded and forced to open his legs. A foreign object was inserted deep into his body, which ruptured his digestive system, resulting in him having his spleen and half his bowel removed. That torture left him with long-term health impacts, and he had to go through 10 major surgeries as a result. It also resulted in his early death, leaving my mother widowed at 52 years of age with seven children — they lost their firstborn. I therefore know at first-hand the direct impact that that type of physical and sexual abuse can have, not just on the victims but on their families. I know about the violation, the indignity, the forced strip-searching and the long-term and lasting impacts of torture. We know that that practice did not take place in isolation. It happened to many, including women in Armagh Gaol who were strip-searched, often with male prison guards present. Such practices were in breach of international human rights law and their use extended beyond Ireland to places such as Kenya. Amnesty International compiled a report on allegations of rape and sexual violence in that country. During the Mau Mau rebellion, 56 British soldiers were tried over allegations of gang rape and 17 were convicted. That is why we need to ensure that any legislation to deal with the legacy of our past is compliant with international human rights law. It must be rooted in a victim-centred approach for all victims. Sinn Féin is committed to that, and we believe that any credible legacy mechanism must examine all harms, including those of a sexual nature. Only legacy structures that adhere to international human rights standards, especially those that are in compliance with the ECHR, will command confidence and, importantly, provide victims with the reassurance that their voice will be heard and their experiences acknowledged.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

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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