Green Party MLA: ‘Silent treatment’ can often form an integral part of domestic abuse

I read Monday’s front page story on domestic abuse with great concern.
Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

(The article can be read here: ‘PSNI warned not to over-step powers on domestic abuse after force indicates giving someone the silent treatment is a criminal offence,’ July 27)

The piece was a throwback to the ‘what happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors’ mind-set.

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Thankfully, society has shifted somewhat and the culture of acceptance around domestic abuse has been eroded.

Domestic abuse remains a horrendous reality for many people but there has been great efforts on the part of civic society, the community and voluntary sector and the criminal justice system to challenge this.

The news article’s misunderstanding of domestic abuse is so hard to stomach. Criticism of the term domestic abuse as opposed to the term domestic violence is entirely unfounded. Domestic abuse reflects the fact that abuse is not just physical. Abuse can be emotional, financial or psychological. Furthermore, abuse will often come in a cycle, with distinct phases. The silent treatment and withdrawal is recognised as a feature of this.

It often comes as part of a pattern of abuse. The missed understanding is around how domestic abuse works — it’s rarely a single incident.

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There is a recognised pattern or cycle of abuse and the ‘silent treatment’ or ‘cold shoulder’ of ‘huffing’ can often be an integral part of the abuse.

We know that domestic violence is usually under-reported so we should be encouraging people to report

The article also includes an interesting fallacy concerning the Domestic Abuse Bill – specifically that the bill may never become law.

The bill is at committee stage in the assembly at present.

There is widespread consensus that this legislation is urgently required as evidenced by a spike in domestic abuse incidents during lockdown and the willingness of the committee to accelerate its stage in order to ensure this bill is passed in this assembly’s mandate.

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Northern Ireland is the only UK region without specific legislation dealing with domestic abuse.

I am a member of the Justice Committee. I am entirely committed to protecting people, who are mostly women, from the horror of domestic abuse and enabling the criminal justice system to bring offenders before the courts.

I fully expect that the legislation will come into effect next year and I’m working hard to ensure that it is good law, which offers protection and tackles domestic abuse in all its nefarious guises.

Rachel Woods MLA, Holywood, Co Down

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