To ask the Minister of Justice to detail (i) any support provided to children and young people who are victims of upskirting; and (ii) whether these measures are age-appropriate and trauma-informed.

I am aware of the particular harm and distress caused by the abhorrent and intrusive behaviour of up-skirting and other forms of voyeurism, not least to our children and young people, in an evolving society where access to, and advances in, technology provides more opportunities for its perpetrators.

I recognise the need for access to age appropriate and trauma-informed support and I am pleased that a range of such services is available for victims, either partly or fully funded by my Department. These include: a 24-hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse (DSA) Helpline; Victim Support NI (VSNI) services; and the NSPCC Young Witness Service (YWS).

DSA Helpline staff receive specialised training to ensure they can respond sensitively to the needs of all victims, including children, young people, and those with additional vulnerabilities. Age-appropriate responses are central to the service, ensuring that support is tailored to the developmental stage, understanding, and needs of each individual. The approach is trauma-informed and prioritises safety, empowerment and trust-building and minimises re-traumatisation.

VSNI has a number of services that can provide relevant support to children and young people who have been victim to this offence, including its Community Service and its Young Victim Service. Its staff and volunteers provide emotional support, advocacy, information and advice to victims after the crime has occurred. This support is based on the World Health Organisation’s ‘psychological first aid’ model, which is used worldwide to support people in the aftermath of a stressful event and is very much age-appropriate and trauma-informed. When appropriate, VSNI also signposts/refers victims to other specialist services.

The YWS, whose staff have social work training, provides individually-tailored support to all young prosecution witnesses under the age of 18 years old who are called to give evidence, to enable them to give their best evidence at the court hearing.

Support for victims of crime, including victims of sexual abuse, continues to be a key priority for me as Justice Minister.

The Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy, which I jointly published in September 2024 with the Health Minister, recognises the damage that all forms of sexual abuse can have on children and young people, including non-contact sexual abuse such as upskirting and downblousing. The Strategy’s Children and Young People Pillar sets a clear direction to help prevent all forms of domestic and/or sexual abuse from happening and to ensure that children and young people, who are victims, are seen and heard; and can access services and receive support to help them to recover.

My Department has also recently published a consultation on proposals for a new Victims and Witnesses of Crime Strategy 2025-2030. One of the Strategy’s five delivery pillars focuses specifically on children and young people. It aims to deliver a child-centred approach by providing tailored, responsive and specialised support in an age-appropriate manner, to reduce trauma and understand needs.