To ask the Minister of Justice to detail (i) the data her Department holds on the use of (a) blackmail; (b) coercion; and (c) intimidation, to silence victims of sexual abuse; and (ii) whether this relationship is being considered as part of the Executive’s work to address sexual violence.

I recognise that these types of behaviour may be present in some cases of sexual violence.

Each case is unique and is considered on its own merits by the courts, where such behaviours are taken into account when determining the circumstances and the impact of the offence.

However, the way in which data is currently collected is limited to offence descriptions. As such, identifying and capturing these behaviours in cases of sexual violence would require a manual review of each individual case, which would be at a disproportionate cost.

My Department holds data on offence descriptions such as blackmail. However, there is currently no mechanism in place within our data systems to identify whether an offence of this nature is linked to a sexual abuse context.

In other words, while offences are recorded according to their legal classification, it is not possible to disaggregate or cross-reference those cases to determine if the behaviour of blackmail, coercion, or intimidation was used specifically to silence or control a victim of sexual abuse.

While this type of information is not currently available, I recognise that perpetrators of sexual abuse may employ a range of behaviours to threaten, manipulate, or deter victims from coming forward. These may include acts of intimidation or blackmail, which are criminal offences in their own right. Such tactics are part of the wider pattern of control and fear that can prevent victims from seeking help or engaging with the justice process.

Working with partners, my Department has already put in place, or is working towards, a range of measures under the Gillen Review, the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy and under the draft Victims and Witnesses Strategy that are intended to support victims of crime, including victims of sexual violence, through the criminal justice process in order to encourage them to continue to engage with the criminal justice system.

Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of any form of crime, including those linked to sexual abuse, is strongly encouraged to report this to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.