By Philomena McInaw

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is an annual international campaign that began on November 25 coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and continues until December 10 marking Human Rights Day.

The ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence’ is used as a strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.

Domestic abuse consists of the following, physical abuse, sexual abuse, violentor threatening behaviour controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, psychological, emotional or other abuse.

The number of women being killed in Northern Ireland has continued to increase since 2020, 24 women have been violently killed in Northern Ireland and 42 women have been murdered in Northern Ireland in the last eight years. It is now considered to be one of the most lethal places in Europe for women. Gender-Based Violence is now seen to be at epidemic levels, seven deaths have been recorded so far this year and the problem of femicide is growing.

A senior member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Superintendent Lindsay Fisher Head of the PSNI’s Public Protection Branch described the deaths as ‘devastating’ she said the PSNI would always seek to hold the perpetrators of violent crimes accountable.

In response to submitted questions said “Violence against women and girls and femicide across Northern Ireland and indeed the world is an epidemic, it would be remiss of us as a Police Service to not fully acknowledge and appropriately respond to that.

 “There is a culture of deep-rooted misogyny that needs a whole societal response and commitment to stamp out.

 “As a Police Service we are all collectively devastated by the rate of femicide in Northern Ireland and are playing our part in sending a strong message that violence against women and girls should not and will not be tolerated.

 “We need everyone to take a stand. Strongly condemn violence, abuse and intimidation against women and girls, report to us if you feel something is not right or someone is in danger and call it out. Call out misogyny in our communities, it starts with inappropriate comments and behaviours and then escalates.

 “Unfortunately, by the time we get involved as a Police Service, violence, intimidation and abuse has already happened.

“There is a bigger  societal change that is needed to prevent abusers from festering in our communities.”

Superintendent Fisher add that “Women should not be turned into statistics. They are being cruelly robbed off their lives and their families left behind are shattered by this. Change is needed and we all have a part to play.”

She said police worked closely with women’s groups across Northern Ireland and dedicated support services and were constantly touching base with them to make sure women and girls had confidence in the police.

 “We know that the news of more deaths can scare women and girls in violent situations to not want to reach out to us or leave their partner in fear of the violence escalating. However, my message is that we are here to help you.

 “We are not complacent when we say that our reporting figures have reduced, we know that we are working hard in our local communities to make this happen, but we also know that there are many sitting at home in silence and fear.”

The Superintendent urged women and girls to ‘pick up the phone and report’ abuse, emphasizing the goal of helping victims leave safely and achieve justice. She stated that police will proactively contact high-risk domestic abuse victims in Northern Ireland to ensure their safety.

She explained that 6,000 officers have received updated domestic abuse training, including coercive control, with refresher courses available annually.

“We’ve developed training with the voices of women and girls at the forefront,” she said. Training also covers stalking, non-fatal strangulation, and Justice Act Offenses like ‘up-skirting’ and ‘down-blousing.’

“Additionally, 4,000 officers are being trained with NEXUS to address rape myths and improve evidence presentation.

“Joint training with Women’s Aid is helping officers understand disclosure schemes, including the reduced threshold from serious harm to harm, leading to increased DVAD applications.”

When asked about necessary changes, Superintendent Fisher pointed to the revised Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Action Plan, aligning domestic violence response with efforts against terrorism and organized crime.

“We will relentlessly pursue perpetrators,” she said, “Too many women and girls have lost their lives, and we acknowledge past shortcomings”.

She highlighted recent progress, including strengthened partnerships, improved training, and targeted resourcing, which have led to fewer VAWG offenses and better outcomes for victims. However, she admitted more work is needed, with eight ongoing actions and 13 new initiatives, such as:

• Reviewing sexual misconduct cases involving PSNI personnel.

“Our commitment is unwavering,” Lindsay Fisher said, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement.

The government has implemented a new law under the Justice (Sexual Offences & Trafficking Victims) Act (NI) 2022, which specifically addresses non-fatal strangulation as a standalone criminal offence. Offenders can face prison sentences of up to 14 years.

According to statistics from the Public Prosecution Service, since the law took effect on June 26, 2023, there have been eight convictions in the Crown Court and 92 convictions in the Magistrates’ and Youth Courts related to non-fatal strangulation or asphyxiation.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland Recorded Domestic Abuse Crime by crime type, July 2023 to June 2024.