The Urgent Need for a Permanent Survivor Council in Northern Ireland

As a survivor, social worker, trauma therapist, and advocate, I recently had the honour of representing Northern Ireland on the Brave Movement and Together for Girls, Global Survivor Council at the first-ever Global Ministerial on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogotá, Colombia. This historic gathering brought nations from across the globe together to make bold pledges to end violence against children with survivors at the forefront of every discussion, making their expertise the driving force behind conversations and commitments to end violence against children.

For me, being part of this landmark event reaffirmed something I’ve long known, survivors are the experts. We’ve lived the trauma, navigated broken systems, and seen first-hand what works and what doesn’t. By placing survivors at the heart of policymaking, the Ministerial created real, transformative change. Furthermore, the presence of survivors fundamentally shifted the tone of discussions where governments, organisations, and decision-makers listened not to stories, but to solutions born from lived experience. This survivor-led approach resulted in meaningful commitments from many nations to tackle violence, prioritising prevention, healing, justice and a commitment to establish permanent Survivor Councils.

Now, it’s time for Northern Ireland to follow this example.

With the recent launch of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy and the growing epidemic of all forms of violence in Northern Ireland, it was disappointing that Northern Ireland representatives were absent from such a pivotal global forum. In the wake of the commitments made in Colombia, I am calling on Northern Ireland’s Executive to match these efforts by committing to the establishment of a Survivor Council.

Victims and survivors worldwide are stepping forward to shape policies that meet the needs of children and adults impacted by violence. Northern Ireland must ensure that our voices are heard, respected, and empowered to lead.

Survivors as Experts, Not Tokens

For far too long, survivors in Northern Ireland have been treated as tokens. Survivors are the experts we’ve lived the trauma, seen the gaps in services, and understand what needs to change. For far too long, victims and survivors have been forced live in the shadows, carrying the weight of secrecy and shame. We’ve been asked to share our stories in ways that feel exploitive, tokenistic and within consultations that rarely lead to real change. We are more than victims/survivors and it’s time for our voices to be empowered to lead the way in shaping policies that work for us and for future generations.

The current system is Northern Ireland is broken. Policies fail to reflect the lived experiences of those they are meant to protect, and too many services aren’t trauma-informed or survivor and child-centred. Survivors are often brought in for ‘tick-box’ consultations, our input is limited to surveys, one off meetings, or focus groups that rarely lead to meaningful change. We cannot allow our trauma to be exploited for short-term gains. We must move beyond this broken system. Survivors must become partners in change not passive participants in someone else’s agenda.

The Case for a Survivor Council:

A Survivor Council in Northern Ireland is not a symbolic gesture; it is an essential, permanent body that would place survivor expertise at the heart of policymaking. It would be made up of a diverse group of survivors, young advocates, and those with lived experience across all forms of violence. These experts would advise government and policymakers on driving trauma-informed strategies, educational programs, training initiatives, and media campaigns that truly meet the needs of those impacted by violence. Survivors understand the gaps better than anyone we know what works, and what doesn’t.

Shape Holistic Responses:

Cross-Ministerial engagement is crucial. Violence against children effects every area of their life- education, health, relationships, employment, and later mental health, addiction and involvement in the criminal justice system. The consequences of trauma are long lasting, and the response must be holistic. That’s why we need every government department, from education and social services to justice and health to work together to create not only policies but also healing support and a justice system that truly support victims/survivors and prevents future harm. A survivor Council would ensure that these ministries are aligned, working collaboratively with survivor expertise at the centre of all strategies.

Elevate Survivor Leadership

A permanent Survivor Council would meet regularly, not just for one-off consultations, but as a core advisory body in every stage of policy and service development. We can no longer afford to be an afterthought. Our lived experiences should inform every policy, evaluate every service, and guide every decision that impacts us. We can no longer allow strategies to fail because they are not grounded in real survivor experience. The Survivor Council’s work would therefore complement and enhance efforts across all ministerial departments.

It’s time to stop exploiting our stories for external agendas. Nothing about us, without us. We are ready to lead and it’s time for government to listen. We are no longer willing to live in the shadows, forced into silence. It is time for our voices to be heard and respected. We are not passive participants. We are empowered agents of change.

Call to Action

Northern Ireland’s Executive must take decisive action to establish a Survivor Council. This would ensure strategies are not only developed but implemented with survivor leadership at their core. I urge ministers to meet with members of the Brave Movement and other survivor leaders to explore how we can create solutions that move beyond words to tangible change.

This isn’t just an opportunity it’s a responsibility. Northern Ireland must commit to building a safer, more just future where survivors are empowered to lead, and every child is protected from harm. Together, we can end violence. The time for action is now.

Author Bio

My name is Michelle Duffy I am a passionate advocate, dedicated social worker, and trauma therapist at Monkstown Boxing Club and Creative Healing NI. A survivor of multiple forms of childhood violence, including sexual abuse, I have channeled my experiences into a lifelong mission to support others. As a member of the Brave Movement and the Global Survivor Council, I am committed to creating a world where survivors' voices lead the way in driving meaningful change and ending cycles of violence against children.