In a response delivered on her behalf, the Justice Minister indicated during the debate on violence against women and girls that she would be carrying out that consultation process, However, when the amendment was voted upon Alliance MLAs and some others voted against the call to carry out the same consultation the Minister had already said she would carry out.
Speaking after the debate, East Belfast MLA Joanne Bunting said, “We made clear that our amendment was not seeking to alter or delay the thrust of today’s debate on violence against women and girls, but only to introduce a consultation element into the process of introducing steps such as pretrial jury education. A number of years have passed since the initial consultation exercise and another updated one would provide value and initiate public discourse.
People need to be clear what the law is and what will be regarded as a crime. Therefore on proposals around the legal definition of what constitutes a reasonable belief of consent, it is vital that there is public discussion on this. A consultation process would help keep the issue of consent in the public consciousness.
The Justice Minister appeared to recognise all of this in the response delivered to the chamber on her behalf. Yet a few moments later her party colleagues voted against having this consultation and were joined by Sinn Fein and SDLP members.
Sinn Fein and SDLP representatives need to explain what they have to fear from public consultation and focusing minds on issues such as consent. Alliance members need to explain this and additionally why they oppose something their Party Leader has already agreed to carry out. Tackling violence against women and girls should be above being dragged into petty party politics. The parties involved need to explain themselves.”