‘There should be outrage’ over violence against women

A survivor of sexual violence has told BBC News NI there should be outrage in our society at violence against women and girls.

Haileigh Ashton Lamont, who waived her right to anonymity, was sexually abused by her stepfather as a child.

A new strategy to combat violence against women and girls was announced at Stormont on Monday.

A woman’s body was found in east Belfast on Friday and a 21-year-old man has been charged with her murder.

£3 million will be allocated to the Strategy to End Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG).

Over the next seven years, management will focus on four key areas:

• Prevention

• Protection and Supply

• The justice system

• It’s better to cooperate

First Minister Michelle O’Neill began by naming the 23 women murdered in Northern Ireland since January 2020, including the latest victim, Rachelle Simpson.

She added that the strategy was developed by real people and that there is a determination to act.

The strategy was first proposed in 2021.

Northern Ireland has long been the only part of the UK and Ireland without a strategy on the issue.

Haileigh was invited to participate in a consultative panel on EVAWG’s 2021 strategy.

It took note of the action plan published last year and expressed concerns that it would not place enough emphasis on solutions and reforms in the area of ​​criminal justice.

“I was shocked and horrified by the reality of the criminal justice system when I went through it,” she said.

“The attitude of criminals will not change and will not deter them from committing crimes if there are no consequences.

“If they find out they have committed a crime and are arrested, the likelihood of them being convicted is very low or the experience will be so traumatic for the victim that they may withdraw.”

Haileigh said the statistics were shocking.

“I don’t think individual politicians don’t want this to end, they do. But there should be outrage. Any one of us can be a victim, you don’t even have to leave your home, most often it happens in people’s homes,” she added.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill said that “obviously we would like to see more money to invest in this area because it is a deep-rooted problem in society”.

“We said we would monitor this and I am sure Emma (the deputy prime minister) and I will not be disappointed in terms of trying to find additional resources to invest in this work,” she added.

Deputy Prime Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said that, in addition to funding, ending violence against women and girls would require “work in schools, post-secondary and higher education, in workplaces and within families”.

“Of course, the value of this will be much greater than just the £3 million that has been allocated at the moment,” she added.

“Epidemic of violence”

The Executive has identified EVAWG as one of its priorities in the Programme of Government, which was published last week.

In the document, the Executive Director stated: “We must work together to end the epidemic of violence, abuse and harm against women and girls.

“Evidence shows that the majority of women and girls have experienced at least one form of gender-based violence.”

Since January 2020, 23 women have been murdered in Northern Ireland.

In 2023, more than 33,000 incidents of domestic violence were recorded in Northern Ireland.

Last year, the police received over 4,000 reports of violence and sexual abuse.

Tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and working to prevent it will be a key part of the implementation strategy, but the justice system will also have a huge role to play.

Work in this area has already been completed.

The Gillen Review, commissioned by the Department of Justice to improve criminal justice outcomes and victims’ experiences, made 253 recommendations in 2019.

Many of the recommendations have been implemented. Changes included limiting the number of people allowed into courtrooms for serious sexual offences and increasing the amount of training for people working in the justice system.

Some ideas have proven effective, including the creation of a remote evidence centre in Belfast for vulnerable children and adult witnesses.

However, many of Judge Gillen’s recommendations have still not been implemented.

He called for steps to be taken to combat excessive delays in the judicial system.

In March, the BBC reported that sex crimes take on average twice as long to process in criminal proceedings as other crimes.

“The Beginning of Change”

Last summer, the EVAWG Action Plan presented ideas to combat gender-based violence, including guidance on sexuality and relationships education and cross-sectoral training and advice in the workplace.

Northern Ireland Women’s Aid calls for strategy from 2021

Women’s Aid told BBC News NI: “This key step joins us with neighbouring jurisdictions in implementing a cross-departmental approach to tackling violence against women and girls.

“Change begins today and we must all continue to work together to help create a society where women and girls feel safe and secure.”

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has welcomed the launch of the service.

Chief Superintendent Lindsay Fisher said 33 of the 41 actions in the PSNI’s Combating Violence Against Women and Girls action plan had been delivered in the first two years.

“Violence against women and girls remains a scourge on our society and a problem that cannot simply be solved by arrests,” she said.

“Last month in Northern Ireland three women lost their lives due to violence against women and girls and immediate change is needed,” she added.