04/11/2025
Loose Women's 'Facing it Together' Domestic Abuse Campaign Welcomed To NI
The award-winning Loose Women 'Facing it Together' campaign, which aims to raise awareness of domestic abuse and highlight available support, has been welcomed to Northern Ireland by Justice Minister Naomi Long, the PSNI, and local support groups including Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland (WAFNI).
Loose Women panelist Nadia Sawalha visited CastleCourt Shopping Centre in Belfast on Monday to broadcast live and officially launch the next phase of the campaign: the display of a new 'Facing It Together' poster across the shopping centre and other locations nationwide. The posters are designed to help the public identify the signs of domestic abuse and the support available.
The campaign's local roll-out involved collaboration between the daytime show's producers and key Northern Ireland bodies, including the Department of Justice, The Executive's Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Directorate, PSNI's Public Protection Branch, WAFNI, and Men's Advisory Project (MAP) NI, to spotlight local support services.
Justice Minister Long expressed her support: "Domestic abuse is a horrendous crime which has a lasting effect on victims and their families. I am delighted to support this campaign to raise awareness of this issue and to encourage victims to come forward for help. This campaign builds on the body of work being taken forward by my Department to prevent domestic abuse, provide support to victims and hold perpetrators to account."
Detective Chief Superintendent Zoe McKee, Head of Public Protection Branch at PSNI, emphasised the scale of the challenge: "Last year we recorded 32,763 domestic abuse incidents and nearly 20,000 domestic abuse crimes, meaning that on average a domestic abuse incident was reported every 16 minutes. We are also making, on average, 84 arrests each month for domestic related offences. We know there is under reporting of domestic abuse and this could be the tip of the iceberg."
Sarah Mason, CEO of Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland, confirmed her organisation was "thrilled" to be part of the campaign, thanking ITV and Loose Women for their "positive activism".
The campaign encourages the wider community—friends, family, and neighbours—to recognise the signs of abuse, helping to break down the stigma and isolation experienced by victims. Women's Aid also hosted an on-the-ground information station at CastleCourt on the day to provide immediate local support.
For further help and information, please contact the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Northern Ireland on 0808 802 1414.
Loose Women panelist Nadia Sawalha visited CastleCourt Shopping Centre in Belfast on Monday to broadcast live and officially launch the next phase of the campaign: the display of a new 'Facing It Together' poster across the shopping centre and other locations nationwide. The posters are designed to help the public identify the signs of domestic abuse and the support available.
The campaign's local roll-out involved collaboration between the daytime show's producers and key Northern Ireland bodies, including the Department of Justice, The Executive's Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Directorate, PSNI's Public Protection Branch, WAFNI, and Men's Advisory Project (MAP) NI, to spotlight local support services.
Detective Chief Superintendent Zoe McKee, Head of Public Protection Branch at PSNI, emphasised the scale of the challenge: "Last year we recorded 32,763 domestic abuse incidents and nearly 20,000 domestic abuse crimes, meaning that on average a domestic abuse incident was reported every 16 minutes. We are also making, on average, 84 arrests each month for domestic related offences. We know there is under reporting of domestic abuse and this could be the tip of the iceberg."
Sarah Mason, CEO of Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland, confirmed her organisation was "thrilled" to be part of the campaign, thanking ITV and Loose Women for their "positive activism".
The campaign encourages the wider community—friends, family, and neighbours—to recognise the signs of abuse, helping to break down the stigma and isolation experienced by victims. Women's Aid also hosted an on-the-ground information station at CastleCourt on the day to provide immediate local support.
For further help and information, please contact the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Northern Ireland on 0808 802 1414.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.