Committee publication · Correspondence · 18 June 2025
Correspondence with Women's Resource & Development Agency and the Chair relating to ending violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland, dated 16 June and 29 April 2025.
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Ending violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland
Summary
WRDA, a women's advocacy organisation in Northern Ireland, responds to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee's inquiry on violence against women and girls (VAWG). The organisation details how VAWG is more prevalent in Northern Ireland than the UK overall, exacerbated by legacy conflict factors, low criminal justice reporting, and paramilitary involvement. WRDA recommends Westminster implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325, invest in the women's sector, widen definitions of armed conflict and honour-based abuse to encompass paramilitary contexts, and maintain regular dialogue with the Northern Ireland Executive on VAWG strategy implementation.
Key findings
- VAWG prevalence in Northern Ireland is higher than the rest of the UK (relative to population), partly masked by underreporting due to distrust of the criminal justice system and fear of paramilitary retribution
- Paramilitary coercive control adds a unique dimension to VAWG in Northern Ireland, including loan-sharking targeting vulnerable women, domestic abuse involving firearms, and surveillance by paramilitary networks even after perpetrator conviction
- Women in Northern Ireland face honour-based abuse intersecting with paramilitary activity and traditional religious beliefs, with low awareness compared to the rest of the UK
- Women's sector workers advocating for gender equality face systemic online abuse, defamation, and threats following public appearances, particularly when discussing paramilitarism
- Westminster should implement UNSCR 1325, ringfence block grant investment for women's sector and VAWG work, expand definitions of armed conflict and honour-based abuse, and establish regular contact with the Northern Ireland Executive on strategy implementation
Tone
CriticalTopics
Key actors
Women's Resource and Development Agency (WRDA), Northern Ireland Women's Policy Group (WPG), Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Monica McWilliams, Elaine Crory, Northern Ireland Executive Office, Department of Justice
Notable line
“… paramilitary coercive control is an unfortunate reality in many areas in Northern Ireland. The operations of these groups vary a little from area to area, but almost universally involve money lending (loan sharking) …”
Key Quotes
“The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, which I chair, is looking into the issue of ending violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland.”
“The raw statistics, based on numbers of reports, do indicate that violence against women and girls is more prevalent in Northern Ireland, particularly in the context of the significantly smaller population of just under two million, but at the same time the statistics do not paint the full picture.”
“The continuation of paramilitary control on women experiencing IPV remains a concern although it is two decades since the cessation of formal paramilitary hostilities.”
“… many women's centres across NI deal with the fall out of this, by providing care packs to women they know who are trapped or stalked by violent men who also happen to be 'well - connected', but they must do so quietly to avoid raising suspicions and inviting repercussions.”
“There is an urgent need to address ongoing paramilitarism in Northern Ireland for a number of reasons, there has always had a strong correlation with coercive and controlling family violence and their effect on public safety is demonstrably corrosive …”
“Members of the Women's Policy Group and WRDA staff as well as colleagues in the wider Women's Sector regularly face intimidation, online abuse and defamation following public appearances, particularly if they discuss paramilitarism in our society.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗