Press Releases26 Nov 25

‘No woman or girl should ever have to live in fear – not here, not ever’

The All–Ireland President of Mothers’ Union, Mrs Kay Clarke, made the following remarks at the Souls of Our Shoes exhibition at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, yesterday (Tuesday, 25th November 2025).

Good afternoon Members of the Legislative Assembly, Church Representatives, colleagues, and partners,

It is my honour and privilege to welcome you to the All Ireland Mothers’ Union Souls of Our Shoes exhibition here in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings. 

Mothers’ Union is a women–led, international Christian movement dedicated to ending poverty, violence and social injustice in communities in Ireland and around the world.  

Active for almost 150 years, with over 4 million members in approximately 84 countries, we work with people of all faiths and none, transforming lives, strengthening families and communities, and advocating for meaningful change. 

As an All Ireland organisation, connected to the Church of Ireland, we have over 5000 members spread across every diocese the length and breadth of the country. We are proactive in raising awareness of gender–based violence and advocating for victims of this scourge on society. 

The two Anglican Archbishops in Ireland, The Most Reverend John McDowell and the Most Reverend Dr Michael Jackson have stated ‘Domestic Abuse is not an accident; it is a deliberate act of cruelty. A compassionate society should do everything in its power to root out domestic abuse’.

I stand before you today not only as the President of Mothers’ Union in Ireland — but as a mother, a daughter, a neighbour, and a woman who believes deeply in the power of compassion and justice.

Across Northern Ireland today, in towns and villages that we all know by name, women and girls are living in fear. Behind closed doors — perhaps even next door — violence, control, and abuse are destroying lives. This is not a distant issue. It is not someone else’s problem. It is happening here, now, in our communities.

In Northern Ireland, domestic abuse remains the single largest category of crime reported to the Police Service. Indeed, every 17 minutes, the PSNI receives a call about a domestic abuse incident. That is not just a statistic — that is a cry for help. A mother protecting her child. A child witnessing trauma, a family living under threat and control. A daughter hiding her bruises. A woman terrified in her own home, wondering if anyone will believe her, or if leaving might cost her life.  This is not a private issue. It is a societal and systemic issue requiring strong legislative leadership.

And as leaders, you are being asked today to listen — not just to me, but to them.

For 149 years, Mothers’ Union has stood beside families through hardship and change. Across Ireland, our members work quietly and faithfully in parishes, schools, and community halls — supporting survivors, comforting the broken–hearted, and challenging attitudes that excuse or ignore abuse. We have a number of campaigns and initiatives to raise awareness, such as the RISE UP Scheme launched in 2023. The letters in RISE UP stand for Respond, Inform, Support, Empower, Unite and Pray. Rise Up was developed by the Mothers’ Union to empower people with the knowledge and skills to help support victims of domestic abuse with care and empathy every day of the year, not just in the 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. We also run a 5 week course entitled ‘Equipping the Church to take action and End Domestic Abuse’ in locations throughout the country, and today you have been invited to the ‘Souls of Our Shoes Exhibition’.

The ‘Souls of our Shoes’ exhibition was pioneered in Scotland; the original idea for the exhibition came from the Y.W.C.A. in conjunction with Scotland’s Women’s Aid.  It has been hosted many times by Mothers’ Union in our communities throughout the whole of Ireland, in libraries, community centres, government and civic buildings and churches, as part of our work to raise awareness of abuse in the home. This powerful display of over 50 pairs of shoes is accompanied by comments from those who have walked away from abuse, and from those who journey with them. Each pair of shoes represents a survivor or victim of domestic violence.

We see the courage it takes for a woman to walk away from violence. We see the long road of rebuilding her life. But we also see the gaps — the places where our systems still fail to protect, still fail to believe, still fail to act. Today, I am asking you — as legislators — to ensure that Northern Ireland becomes a place where those gaps are closed, where safety is guaranteed, and where accountability is non–negotiable.

Domestic abuse is not just about bruises. It is about power and control — emotional, financial, psychological, and sexual. It thrives in silence. It feeds on stigma. And the cost of that silence is devastating.

Since 2020, 28 women and one girl have been killed violently in Northern Ireland. The sunflowers on display represent those who have lost their lives to domestic abuse or gender–based violence in Northern Ireland since 2020.

For the period from August 2024 to July 2025, Northern Ireland recorded ten domestic abuse–motivated homicides, a significant increase from four in the previous year. Silence has cost too many lives.

Every single one of us has a role to play in breaking that silence. But you, our elected representatives, have the power — and the responsibility — to change the structures that allow this violence to continue.

You can ensure that Northern Ireland’s Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy is fully implemented and properly funded.

You can champion education in schools, so that our sons learn respect and our daughters learn that love should never hurt. Changing the culture begins with changing what is learned, normalised, and expected.

You can make sure that refuges and support services are not fighting for survival, but are secure, sustainable, and accessible in every county. Legislation must be robust, but enforcement must match. No woman should fear that reporting abuse will put her at greater risk. Protecting children is not optional — it is foundational.

You can lead by example, standing publicly and proudly for zero tolerance of abuse in every form.

We often say that Northern Ireland has endured enough pain, enough division, enough loss. So let this — protecting women and girls from violence — be something that unites us.

Because this is not about politics. This is about humanity. Domestic and sexual violence intersect with health, housing, justice, education, and community development.

A whole–government approach is essential with continued cross–departmental coordination and clear accountability for implementation across all areas.

When we invest in safety, we invest in the future of our families. When we believe survivors, we build trust. And when we take decisive action, we send a message that echoes far beyond these walls:

No woman or girl should ever have to live in fear — not here, not ever.

The Mothers’ Union will continue to stand with you, to work with you, and to pray for you — that you will have the courage to act decisively, the compassion to listen deeply, and the commitment to make Northern Ireland a place where every woman and girl can flourish, free from fear.

Together, we can make that vision real.

Thank you.

Our exhibition here today is due in no small part to the generosity of two MLAs from Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Deborah Erskine and Diana Armstrong who attended the exhibition in one of three locations in the Clogher diocese where the exhibition was displayed earlier this year by Clogher Mothers’ Union. The ladies were greatly touched by the victim’s stories and kindly offered to host our exhibition here today. On behalf of our All Ireland Trustees and our members, but more importantly, on behalf of all who have suffered and continue to suffer from Domestic Abuse, I would like to express our gratitude to Deborah and Diane for their willingness to stand up and be counted and for their invitation to share the women’s stories with you today.

Today is another step in a journey that we in Mothers’ Union have been on for the past 10 years in raising awareness of Domestic Abuse. The exhibition continues to be on display throughout the country in all our dioceses and will be in the Mansion House Dublin for invited guests at the beginning of December. It is hoped the exhibition can provide a reminder that with timely help, many can escape from their abusive situations, rebuild their confidence and live in safety.