PSNI Chief Constable Raises Alarm Over Capacity to Address Violence Against Women
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has voiced "significant concerns" regarding the force's capacity to effectively deal with violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland. During an appearance before the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Mr Boutcher highlighted a disturbing societal acceptance of misogyny that he described as unprecedented in his experience.
Northern Ireland's Troubling Statistics
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn emphasized that Northern Ireland remains the "most dangerous" part of the United Kingdom for women when it comes to violence against women and girls. Committee chairwoman Tonia Antoniazzi revealed that 30 women have died violently in Northern Ireland since 2020, with statistics indicating the situation is particularly severe in the region.
Recent cases underscore the urgency of the issue. Police launched a murder investigation after young mother Amy Doherty was killed in Londonderry, with a man subsequently arrested. Meanwhile, Stephen McCullagh was convicted at Belfast Crown Court for the murder of his pregnant partner Natalie McNally in Lurgan in December 2022.
Data Discrepancies and European Comparisons
Mr Boutcher addressed concerns about Northern Ireland's femicide rates, referencing a 2019 BBC article that used Eurostat figures to compare Northern Ireland's homicide rates to Romania's. He clarified that the data was inaccurate, noting there were four murders in 2017 rather than eight as reported, with three against women and one domestic murder against a male.
"The rate for Northern Ireland on that data would have put us just below England and Wales and just above Switzerland, in the middle of the table of European countries," Mr Boutcher explained. He further analyzed data from 2012 to 2023, which positions Northern Ireland "right in the middle of the data set for Europe."
Societal Acceptance of Misogyny
The Chief Constable expressed deep concern about growing societal tolerance for misogyny, potentially influenced by online figures like Andrew Tate. "There seems to be an acceptance around misogyny the like of which I have not seen," Mr Boutcher stated. "We have got to draw a line and say this is unacceptable."
He referenced the case of showjumper Katie Simpson, whose death in 2020 was initially thought to be suicide but later led to murder suspicions against Jonathan Creswell, who died before his trial concluded.
Resource Challenges and Organizational Response
SDLP leader Claire Hanna questioned whether the PSNI has adequate resources to bring perpetrators to justice, noting that Northern Ireland's femicide rate appears almost twice that of neighboring regions. Mr Boutcher acknowledged these concerns, stating violence against women and girls represents one of his "biggest concerns" as chief constable.
He referenced the case of Alexander McCartney, a prolific online abuser from Newry jailed for 20 years in 2024 for sexual abuse of children and manslaughter, noting the Police Ombudsman had reported insufficient resources to tackle such cases.
PSNI's Internal Measures and Cultural Audit
The PSNI has implemented several measures to address these challenges, including commissioning a review of how the force handles incidents of violence against women. "We have done a cultural audit in the last 12 months specifically looking at behaviours within the organisation," Mr Boutcher explained, focusing on eliminating "abhorrent behaviours" including misogyny and hatefulness toward colleagues.
Mr Boutcher emphasized that violence against women and girls remains a "significant priority" for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, despite capacity concerns that continue to challenge effective response and prevention efforts.
