Progress on a cross-department strategy to stop domestic and sexual violence and abuse in Northern Ireland has been published today.

Ministers for Health, Justice, Communities, Education and Finance have published an action plan for year six of the seven year domestic and sexual abuse strategy as well as a progress report for 2020/21.

Key cross Departmental actions for year six include:

• domestic abuse and civil proceedings bill to become operational by end of 2021. A media awareness campaign and training will take place.

• continuing to develop the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety (‘IRIS’) training and support programme with general practice;

• introducing a new Advocacy Support Service for victims of domestic and sexual abuse;

• bringing forward regulations to enable the introduction of Operation Encompass;

• establishing an Early Intervention cross departmental working group;

• commissioning research to consider the extension of the Sanctuary Scheme;

• preparatory work on developing legislation on Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Orders;

• introducing Sexual Offences Legal Advisors to provide general legal advice to victims of serious sexual offences;

• delivering early intervention Domestic Abuse Behavioural Change Programmes regionally;

• providing funding to support emergency refuge provision, other accommodation-based services and floating support services as well as other core services including advocacy, the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline, MARACs and the Rowan.

Outlining what has been achieved in the last 12 months, Health Minister Robin Swann said: “As we look back at 2020, I am encouraged by what we have achieved together. Despite the unprecedented challenges presented by Covid-19, essential support services have remained fully available and new initiatives, such as the ‘Ask for Ani’ pharmacy code word scheme, have been introduced to provide additional routes for victims and survivors to access support.

 “The IRIS programme has also been running across two GP Federations with some practices now fully trained to use the IRIS referral pathway to provide specialist advocacy support for both women and men experiencing domestic and sexual abuse.”

The action plan is the sixth to be issued under the strategy and is based on partnership working across Government as well as with statutory, voluntary and community sector partners.