Committee publication · Correspondence · 17 July 2025 · HC 840
Correspondence from the Chair to the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls dated 17 July 2025 relating to ending violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Ending violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland
Summary
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Chair writes to the Minister for Safeguarding requesting government action on violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Northern Ireland. The letter raises four key areas: cross-UK shared learning and data on VAWG; Westminster-Stormont collaboration accounting for Northern Ireland's post-conflict context; additional funding for tackling technology-enabled abuse; and ringfenced funding for community prevention and victim support services.
Key findings
- Witnesses called for UK nations' VAWG strategy leads to meet regularly and for an oversight board to coordinate a unified approach and avoid duplication of services and resources.
- Northern Ireland faces unique VAWG dynamics linked to legacy of the Troubles, paramilitary presence, normalization of violence, and culture of silence discouraging police reporting.
- Police Service of Northern Ireland lacks sufficient funding and skills to address growing referrals on technology-enabled VAWG; women in Northern Ireland report higher 'silencing effect' from online VAWG than other UK nations.
- Prevention and early intervention programmes run by grassroots and community organisations require increased funding; witnesses expressed concern that VAWG funding could be redirected to higher-priority areas like healthcare.
- Comparative research on VAWG across UK nations is lacking; Northern Ireland's Strategic Framework on VAWG should be incorporated into government's upcoming VAWG strategy and Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Rt Hon. Jess Phillips MP, Baroness Whitchurch, DCS Zoe McKee, Professor Olga Jurasz, White Ribbon NI, Women's Aid Federation NI, Women's Resource and Development Agency
Notable line
“… paramilitarism " impacts and amplifies " the violence women experience.”
Key Quotes
“We ask that the Government set out how it plans to ensure that the four UK nations share learning and information, in order to better tackle violence against women and girls.”
“… paramilitarism " impacts and amplifies " the violence women experience.”
“We ask the Government to set out what steps it is taking to ensure that there is detailed comparative research into VAWG in each nation of the UK”
“We request that the Government ringfence funding dedicated to VAWG prevention and early intervention programmes run by grassroots and community organisations.”
“We suggest that the Government provide additional resource to the National Crime Agency to tackle online violence against women and girls.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗