North: Almost 400 rapes reported this year
Nearly 400 rapes were reported in the North this year, it was revealed today.
The alarming rise in the level of attacks was disclosed as the British government came under intense pressure to offer women greater protection from violence.
With the threat claimed to be at crisis level, political parties appalled by a damning new report demanded action.
Amnesty International’s withering assessment, which awarded the Northern Ireland Office a paltry one out of ten for its policies and practices, emerged amid widespread shock at the latest brutal rape.
Police councillors have been brought in to help the teenage victim after two men attacked her in Woodvale Park, north Belfast, leaving her seriously traumatised.
Her ordeal joins a staggering toll which showed 390 rapes and another 25 attempted sex assaults reported across the North between January and November. Of the rapes 351 were against women and 39 on men.
The police figures showed a big rise from 318 for the same period on 2005 and 345 in 2004.
Campaigners bidding to reduce an appalling catalogue of attacks and abuse directed against women took their fight to Stormont.
Parties were briefed on the scathing report Making the Grade 2, launched by Amnesty International as part of the End Violence Against Women Campaign.
The independent dossier concluded that the failure to adopt a strategic approach across British government meant women’s safety cannot be ensured.
Patricia Campbell of Amnesty International Northern Ireland said: “Every day there are media reports of women and girls being beaten up, raped or killed, or committing suicide as a result of male violence.
“The direct rule NIO is failing dismally to address this problem in any sort of integrated fashion.”
Backing her concerns, Alliance chair Yvonne Boyle said the horrific events in north Belfast showed the need for urgent action.
Ms Boyle, a member of Amnesty International and senior social worker dealing with incidents of domestic violence, said: “The billions of pounds wasted on segregation in Northern Ireland would be far better spent on preventing domestic violence, providing support for victims and ending the culture of ignoring aggressive behaviour.
“It is a scandal that women continue to be attacked and killed, when instead of money being spend on combating violence, cash is being wasted on dividing our society.
“Awareness must be raised and attitudes must change in order to stamp out all attacks on women, whether domestic or outside the home.”
The Sinn Féin MLA for Newry and Armagh, Pat O’Rawe, spoke of the massive financial and emotional toll.
She said: “It is estimated that violence against women costs a staggering £23bn (€34bn) annually yet the increase in such violence is rising to alarming proportions with increases in rape, sexual assault, stalking, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and trafficking of women and girls.
“The report highlights that many government departments still perceive violence against women as limited to domestic violence, resulting in a complete failure to develop policies and provide resources for these other equally deplorable forms of violence against women.”
And the SDLP’s Equality spokesperson Patricia Lewsley highlighted statistics which showed one in five women in Northern Ireland have suffered domestic violence.
“The report does not make easy reading and clearly demonstrates that (British) government must do more to effectively tackle violence against women,” she said.
“Domestic violence is a crime with the highest rate of repeat victimisation.”
