The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has marked the third anniversary of its dedicated Tackling Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Action Plan, highlighting significant progress in the pursuit of perpetrators and efforts to build public trust.

The original plan, launched in September 2022, set out a seven-year commitment focusing on building trust, relentlessly pursuing offenders, and creating safer spaces.

Statistical updates covering the three years to the end of August 2025 show that officers have made 5,042 arrests under new legislation covering domestic abuse, stalking, and non-fatal strangulation. Furthermore, the PSNI has implemented four Stalking Protection Orders using new powers.

Arrest data for these new offences shows consistent policing activity:

• Domestic Abuse Offence: An average of 84 arrests per month.

• Stalking and Threatening/Abusive Behaviour: An average of 19 arrests per month.

• Non-Fatal Strangulation: An average of 76 arrests per month.

The figures also show a slight reduction in overall recorded offences. In the 12 months leading up to July 2025, there were 21,729 VAWG offences recorded, a decrease of 4.0% compared to the preceding 12 months.

New Initiatives and Internal Focus

The PSNI is adopting a proactive operational stance with the introduction of 'Project Vigilant', following recent training provided by Thames Valley Police. This initiative will see tactical deployments of plain-clothed and uniformed officers, trained to identify predatory behaviour and intervene quickly to safeguard the public within night-time economy settings across Northern Ireland. A formal launch of this initiative is due in the coming weeks.

Community engagement has also been high, with 21 ‘Walk and Talk' events held across the province, where neighbourhood teams meet with local women and support groups to hear first-hand concerns and increase reassuring police presence where required.

Internally, the PSNI has rolled out active bystander training and has developed its public campaign, 'Power to Change' (which reached over three million people online), into a mandatory internal training package for officers and staff. This aims to ensure staff behaviour aligns with the code of ethics and challenges misogynistic attitudes within the organisation. Out of the 41 original actions, 33 were completed by the end of year two. Eight actions were carried forward into year three, and 13 new actions were added to the framework. These new actions include:

• A review of previous cases of sexual impropriety and misconduct against PSNI personnel.

• Operationalising the introduction of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders / Notices.

• Developing scrutiny panels for rape "no prosecution" outcomes.

• Supporting the Department of Justice with a domestic abuse perpetrator strategy.

Of the 21 actions (eight carried over, 13 new), six were completed in year three, with significant progress made on the remainder.

Detective Chief Inspector Leah Crothers, one of the PSNI's Tackling VAWG Leads, said: "We remain committed to doing everything we can to prevent harm, call out unacceptable attitudes and behaviours and protect women and girls wherever they live - in towns, cities and rural communities. We have always been clear that it will take a societal effort to make a real change. But as a police service we have an opportunity to lead the way and to do so we have to be willing to look inwards to our own organisation and challenge our own attitudes and behaviours."

A survivor of sexual assault, 24-year-old Sophie (not her real name), has spoken out to encourage other women to seek justice. Sophie was assaulted by Fearghall Mulgrew after initially engaging in consensual sex on Sunday, 14 March 2021. Mulgrew bit her face and body before committing non-consensual sexual acts, leaving her with multiple injuries and bruising.

Sophie bravely self-referred to The Rowan support service and reported the crime to the police. On Monday, 5 February 2024, at Laganside Court, Fearghall Mulgrew was found guilty of sexual assault by penetration and five counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was sentenced to 22 months, with eight months in custody, and will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Sophie stated: "This incident has impacted my ability to form romantic relationships, I can't be intimate with partners without a constant reminder of what happened, it's hard not to think of it... I support the work of the action plan and the recent police campaigning because I have experienced what it is like to have your rights stripped away from you. Too many men in our society have blurred lines of consent and a misogynistic view on life. I am standing up to say it is not right and the only way to put a stop to it is to educate men and boys and for women like me to feel supported enough to report."