Police in Mid and East Antrim collaborate with partners to tackle VAWG

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is delighted to collaborate with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (M&EABC) and Onus Training, to assist with developing and delivering partnership projects between members of the Northern Domestic and Sexual Violence Partnership, under The Executive Office’ Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) strategy.

Following this year’s launch of the ‘Power to Change’ campaign, a collaborative production between EVAWG, Department of Justice and led by the PSNI; men across NI are being encouraged to take responsibility for ending violence, abuse and intimidation against women and girls by changing their attitudes and behaviours towards them, as well as challenging those of their peers. To take forward this commitment with partners, the service has agreed to work in partnership with local partners and key stakeholders who will assist with highlighting this message to members of within local communities.

Through EVAWG funding provided by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, training with leisure staff has two key objectives: the ‘Power to Change’ presented by Chief Inspector Chris Tate from the PSNI and ‘Be the Change’ presented by Lindsay Harris from ONUS.

Building on the Onus ‘Safe Place’ campaign which is already supported by both the PSNI and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, this project brings together multi-agency experience on how we can ensure gyms and leisure facilities across the District are somewhere that women and girls know they can feel safe and will be safe, when in the company of males. Staff will be trained as active bystanders to challenge abuse or harassment (through the Power to Change campaign led by the PSNI) and to deliver effective responses to anyone who may have experienced abuse or harassment (through Onus’ ‘Be the Change’ campaign).  

Commenting on the project, Mid & East Antrim Chief Inspector Chris Tate said: “Ending violence against women and girls is a critical priority for the PSNI and this commitment reflects not only a moral and legal obligation, but also recognition of the devastating impact such violence has had and continues to have on individuals, families and local communities. Ensuring the safety and dignity of women and girls is fundamental in maintaining public trust, promoting justice and building a peaceful and inclusive society.

“Violence against women and girls is a serious violation of human rights, and whether it manifests as domestic abuse, sexual violence, harassment, or coercive control, this form of violence undermines the right to live free from fear and harm. The PSNI has a duty to uphold these rights and ensure that every individual in Northern Ireland can live safely and with dignity, regardless of gender. A failure to address these crimes effectively risks silencing victims and allowing perpetrators to act with impunity.

“Incidents relating to women and girls often go unreported due to fear, stigma, or a lack of confidence in the justice system. Building a culture of trust where victims feel supported and believed is essential, and we recognise that our response can be a turning point in someone’s life. By improving victim care, training officers to be appropriately equipped in trauma-informed practices, and fostering strong partnerships with support services, we can help survivors seek justice and rebuild their lives.

“As a service, we are extremely delighted to be involved in this project to demonstrate to women and girls of all ages, that public spaces should be utilised as safe spaces, not spaces of danger. By taking a firm stand, we will validate our commitment to fairness and accountability, which in turn, will enhance public confidence, particularly among women, who must be able to rely on police to protect and support them”.

Lindsay Harris, CEO of ONUS Training added: “Research would indicate that over half of gym-goers have either experienced or witnessed harassment in gyms.. Many more women and girls experience harassment yet don’t report, instead changing or even leaving gyms entirely, missing out on all the benefits for their health and wellbeing.  We are committed to working with our Safe Place partners PSNI and MEA Borough Council to encourage more women and girls into gyms and leisure settings across the borough through creating Safe Places for everyone to exercise”. 

Patricia Allen Head of Public Protection, Health and Wellbeing in MEABC commented “MEA Leisure staff have worked in partnership with Onus in the past and we are delighted to be able to be part of this new initiative involving PSNI.  By ensuring our staff are trained to create safe spaces and to challenge inappropriate comments and behaviours, we can make leisure facilities even more welcoming and supportive of women and girls, and ensure they have safe access to activities and groups that will help improve and maintain their physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing.  Everyone in society has a vital role in working to end violence against women and girls. This marks the start of the roll out of training across Council’s Leisure Services but we hope the leadership Council has shown will also encourage other sports and fitness facilities in the Borough to work with us and our partners to make a real commitment to this important cause.”

Catherine Black Acting Head of Community Planning & Development in MEABC stated “The Community Planning team in Council are delighted to build on our already strong partnership with the PSNI and the Northern Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership to deliver this meaningful and impactful programme. We have further initiatives planned this year to support the achievements of the aims of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy and look forward to further partnership working. We are very grateful for the funding support from the EVAWG Team in The Executive Office.”

Following the initial phase of interactive training with MEA Borough Council Staff which will identify and incorporate a ‘best practice’ approach to ensuring women and girls know they can feel safe, the training will be available for gyms, leisure facilities and personal trainers across the MEA Borough Council areas.

For more information please visit www.powertochange.info.

This project is funded through The Executive Office’s EVAWG Local Change Fund and administered through MEABC.