AQW 27189/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 15/05/2025
Answered On Date: 27/05/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Justice to detail what plans she has to raise public awareness around upskirting and other forms of image-based sexual abuse.

Answer:

A dedicated public awareness campaign to promote the introduction of the up-skirting offence, as well as the other new intimate-image based offences of down-blousing and cyber-flashing, was carried out by the Department from November 2023 to the end of March 2024.

This formed part of the wider communication and promotional strategy which was used to deliver implementation of the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, in which the three offences are contained. Promotion was extended across a range of social media platforms, as well outdoor placement advertising, to coincide with commencement of the new offences.

I continue to keep potential further public awareness raising exercises in this area under review.