All coming together to network, share information and continue to build a strong response to sexual health, violence and abuse.

Jason Caldwell South Eastern Trust Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Family support said

As Chair of the South Eastern Domestic and Sexual Violence Partnership together with Community, Voluntary and Statutory members we play a key role in linking the Domestic and Sexual Violence Strategy and the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy which are land marks for Northern Ireland. A planning day is taking place in April to develop a three-year action plan to guide the implementation and coming together today enables further collaboration and awareness.

Key areas of impact included powerful keynote speeches from presenters Jim Gamble QPM CEO INEQE Safeguarding Group who provided an excellent presentation and his overall message that “to achieve the outcomes the conversation needs to be wide and broad and the work has to have a life course perspective.”

Helen Russell Training Manager Belfast and Lisburn Women’s Aid provided “real-world insights into trauma, domestic violence, systemic barriers, and the importance of survivor perspectives. Powerful, well explained and thought provoking”.

Participation from The Executive Office, Department of Health and Department of Justice reflected a shared commitment across government, health care and advocacy sector and provided excellent strategic direction.

Participants stated they left better informed, deeply motivated and the overwhelmingly positive feedback and strong appetite for future engagement lay a powerful foundation for ongoing work to end violence against women and girls and strengthen trauma-informed, survivor-centred practices across services.

The seminar was filmed and can be viewed here:

Following the seminar in March a review consultation day took place in April to develop a strategic plan for South Eastern Area Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership.  In August the Collaborating for Change – Working to address domestic and sexual violence and abuse in the South Eastern Area. South Eastern Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership, Strategic Plan (2025-2028) was launched.  A Sexual Violence and Abuse Subgroup was formed in December co-chaired by Gabrielle O’Neill Sexual Health Lead and Traci Kimber South Eastern Domestic and Sexual Violence Partnership Co-ordinator.

For further information contact:

Traci Kimber SEDSVAP Coordinator

Gabrielle O’Neill Health Improvement Lead – Sexual Health & Disability