Funding crisis leaves Women's Aid at 'breaking point': Over 2,000 crime reports in a year in Derry & Strabane

Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland has demanded immediate government action pointing to police records which show 2,289 reported domestic crimes in Derry City & Strabane in 2021/22.

Women’s Aid Federation NI this week launches its most emotive and hard-hitting campaign calling on the government to ‘Unlock the Funding’ as shocking new statistics reveal the PSNI receives a call relating to a domestic abuse incident every 16 minutes.

The charity points out that women and girls in Northern Ireland are disproportionately affected by violence, abuse and intimidation. According to police, from April 2021 to March 2022, they made up 78% of all victims of sexual crimes, 68% of domestic abuse, 64% of harassment and as of April 2022, 95% of stalking crimes.

Between 2017 and 2021, 34 women and girls were killed by men across Northern Ireland.

In Derry City & Strabane there were 2,214 domestic abuse crimes in 2020/21 but this increased by 75 to 2,289 from October 21 to the end of September 2022.

Women’s Aid states the ‘chronic underfunding’ in Northern Ireland predates the collapse of Stormont however, the situation is being exasperated by the lack of a functioning Executive.

The charity continues to provide frontline support to victims of domestic or sexual violence and abuse but has warned that its resources are being stretched to the limit.

Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland Chief Executive, Sarah Mason said Northern Ireland was already significantly behind England and Wales when it came to funding, but the cost of living crisis is making this disparity even more stark.

Sarah said: “Our campaign uses incredibly emotive language and poignant imagery and if this is uncomfortable for some people then we apologise.

“But the reality is that women are being murdered in Northern Ireland as we wait for the government to provide the necessary level of funding to tackle this epidemic affecting our society. Women’s Aid does not apologise for being a strong voice for women and we will continue to fight for the necessary resources.

“The cost of living crisis is having a profound impact on women living with abusive partners. We saw during the pandemic how lockdown was often trapping women with their abusers now as the strain on household expenses continues to spiral, many female victims of violence simply don’t have the financial means to escape the abuse.

“It is a real pressure cooker situation and a damning indictment on our society that so many women are paying the ultimate price.”

Sarah added: “Earlier this year in the Republic of Ireland, the government announced a €363m strategy to tackle gender-based violence. Funding of this level has never been released here in Northern Ireland.

“A cornerstone of the strategy in Ireland is education and it will focus on issues such as consent, healthy sexual relationships and domestic violence. It will be covered in an age-appropriate manner from primary school through to third level education. Another central pillar of the strategy is a 100 percent rise in the number of refuge places for victims.

“In Northern Ireland, Women’s Aid already has a strategic roadmap in place which is similar in a number of areas. The main difference is we don’t have the funding to implement it on the same level.”

The Women’s Aid ‘Unlock the Funding’ campaign, which is coinciding with the annual international 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence (running to December 10), which combines a range of mediums including digital roadside advertising screens and a dedicated social media campaign.

Support and information are available at: www.womensaidni.org including information on the local Women’s Aid centres covering all of Northern Ireland

To contact police, call the non-emergency ‘101’ number or call ‘999’ in an emergency. There is a Silent Solutions Service which enables a 999 caller who is too scared to make a noise, or speak, to press 55 when prompted.

The 24-hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline (managed by Nexus) is available to anyone who has concerns about domestic or sexual abuse 0808 802 1414.

Those wishing to make a donation to support the work of Women’s Aid Northern Ireland should visit: justgiving.com/campaign/Unlockthelockdown