Over 5,000 Arrests Made in Northern Ireland Under Violence Against Women and Girls Legislation
Police in Northern Ireland have made over 5,000 arrests in the past three years under legislation designed to combat violence against women and girls. The PSNI responds to a domestic abuse call, on average, every 17 minutes.
Northern Ireland is considered one of the most dangerous places in Europe for women, wiht 28 murdered by current or former partners, or family members, in the last five years. The most recent tragedy involved Vanessa Whyte, a veterinary surgeon from co Clare, who was fatally shot by her husband alongside their children, Sara (13) and James Rutledge (14), at their Co Fermanagh home in July. Her husband, Ian Rutledge, died days later from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
These figures were released as the PSNI marks the third anniversary of its action plan to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). Between the end of last month and the past three years, 5,042 arrests were made under new legislation covering domestic abuse, stalking, and non-fatal strangulation.
Monthly averages include 84 arrests for domestic abuse, 19 for stalking and threatening/abusive behavior, and 76 for non-fatal strangulation. in the year ending July, police recorded 21,729 offences classified as Violence Against Women and Girls – a 4% decrease from the previous year.
However, officials acknowledge that the true scale of domestic violence is likely much higher, as many incidents go unreported.
“There’s a lot more work to do, but we’re absolutely committed, all of our officers and staff are absolutely committed to this action plan to tackle violence against women and girls,” stated Detective Chief Inspector Leah Crothers of the PSNI’s Public Protection Branch.
“Some of the violence is brutal, really tragic circumstances. What I would say to everyone is that if you see it we need to call it out, this is a societal issue, it can’t just be the police alone – it needs to be all our partners as well and the community acting together to tackle this.”
One survivor, Sophie (not her real name), shared her story in support of the campaign. The 24-year-old was a Queen’s University student when she met Fearghall Mulgrew on Tinder in February 2021. After a month of dating, she went to his house on the night of March 14th, where he expressed a desire for “rough sex.”
“I thoght okay, if that’s what he wants to do, because I wanted him to like me,” she recalled.
Though, the encounter quickly turned violent. “He was just from the outset very violent,” Sophie explained. “He slapped me, he bit me in my face, in my mouth, on my neck. He bit me in quite an intimate area, and wouldn’t let go until I kicked him off me.” When she begged him to stop, he reportedly laughed.