Urgent action needed to tackle violence against women and girls - Lockhart

Speaking in Westminster, the Upper Bann MP said:

“Today marks the second anniversary of the brutal murder of Natalie McNally and her unborn baby boy, a tragedy that continues to devastate her family, friends, and the local community. Natalie was a beautiful young woman, a soon-to-be mother, a cherished daughter, sister, and friend. Her family, father Noel, mother Bernie, and brothers, have shown extraordinary courage, channelling their grief into a determined campaign to end violence against women.

Yet, heartbreakingly, this weekend brought another senseless tragedy in my constituency. On Saturday evening, Karen Cummings, a children’s nurse and mother of two, was murdered in her home in Banbridge.

These devastating events are part of a wider epidemic. Since 2020, twenty-five women have been killed in Northern Ireland, seven of them this year alone. Northern Ireland is now the most unsafe place in Europe to be a woman.

This cannot continue. I welcome the opportunity today to engage with the Home Office Minister, Jess Phillips, and took the opportunity to urge the Government to act immediately and bring forward a comprehensive UK-wide strategy to tackle violence against women and girls. This strategy must address the root causes of this violence, improve conviction rates, introduce tougher sentencing for perpetrators, and provide better support for victims and their families.

Violence against women is not inevitable. It is preventable. We owe it to Natalie, Karen, and the countless other women who have suffered to take decisive action and ensure no more lives are lost. The time for change is now.”