Socialist Party statement on Ballymena riots
*CW gender violence, racism*
The serious sexual assault of a teenage girl, and how it is possible for two 14-year-olds to perpetrate such violence, should be the focus of discussions. Gender violence, which is unfortunately so prevalent, is an indictment of the society we live in that pushes exploitation, oppression and abuse. Femicides in the North are at record levels showing how urgent a movement against gender-based violence is. This was a point we made in the aftermath of Chloe Mitchell’s murder in 2023 which brought thousands onto the streets in Ballymena in grief.
We send our full solidarity to the teenager who experienced a horrific and highly traumatic assault. The girl and her family should have access to all possible support and services – services which are chronically underfunded and remain inadequate. It would be far more helpful for those in power to focus on fixing this rather than seeking to blame sections of the population for gender violence. We also sent our solidarity to those, like Kevin Rous and his wife and children, who were indefensibly and despicably targeted in violent attacks over several nights.
As with the aftermath of the Southport murders last year, gender-based violence is being cynically exploited to scapegoat migrants and stir up division instead of addressing the crisis of misogyny. The forces who are exploiting this situation do nothing to challenge gender violence and actively undermine efforts to combat it.
“My co-worker sent me a video of my house being smashed” were the words of a woman who was thankfully not at home with her children when their home was targeted. In recent days, TUV figures including Jim Allister and Timothy Gaston have engaged in dangerous dog-whistle politics — pointing fingers and fuelling a climate of suspicion and hate. Gordon Lyons, DUP Minister for Communities, engaged in dangerously incendiary commentary in relation to Larne Leisure Centre and calls have correctly been made for him to resign. Racist language and xenophobia are on full display in the statements also by TUV and other politicians who have sought to blame a particular ethnic group for gender violence.
Responsibility for a climate in which racist ideas can grow also lies with politicians in Westminster. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn this week repeated Keir Starmer’s line of the dangers of “the small boats”; all this does is to reinforce the erroneous idea that immigrants are to blame for gender-based violence or issues like unaffordable rents and poor housing. This nonsense must be exposed for what it is: an attempt to shift blame away from those actually responsible for long NHS waiting lists, insufficient and unaffordable housing and lack of public services: namely landlords, and successive governments in Stormont and Westminster.
The words of these politicians have given political cover to those organising racist intimidation and attacks. This is part of a broader pattern; the rise of Reform UK in Britain, who work closely with the TUV, is emboldening far-right narratives across the North, particularly in some Protestant working-class areas, but the far-right have echoes in all communities and openly racist actions have also been called, for example, in part of West Belfast in recent days.
It must also be emphasised that the entire Stormont Executive including Sinn Fein and Alliance alongside the DUP and UUP, and Westminster have not acted to tackle gender violence. The judicial system is fundamentally flawed and unequipped to deal with gender violence. The PSNI also deserve their reputation of perpetuating rather than tackling gender violence as for example reports earlier this year indicated a record number of investigations into police officers alleged to have abused their position for sexual purposes. The Stormont Executive must also be held accountable for the lack of investment in housing and services, creating the conditions now being exploited to push racist ideas.
The endemic nature of gender violence in the North has been again highlighted by a recent study by Ulster University which earlier this year showed:
- 98% of women in Northern Ireland have experienced at least one form of violence or abuse in their lifetime;
- 50% experience this before they were 11 years old;
- seven out of 10 of those surveyed experienced some form of violence or abuse in the last 12 months.
There is a child victim of sexual abuse at the centre of this. We must discuss gender violence and understand how it is possible for two 14-year-olds to perpetrate violent misogynistic behaviour in order to make sure that we find a way to dismantle the misogyny and hate being spread by capitalism. Instead, large sections of the press are discussing the increase in community tensions supposedly as a result of immigration, lending weight to the idea that the actions over the past week are in some way justified. They are not. Gender violence is not the result of immigration – it is the result of misogyny, transphobia and often a sense of impunity that comes with power or perceived power in society. We have enough shocking examples of this in Northern Ireland, both past and present, to be able to understand that.
In most cases victims and survivors of gender violence know their abusers, often because they are partners, former partners or family members. In many cases, the abuse occurs at home. To challenge gender violence we must examine this. Tackling misogynistic attitudes both online and in real life is an essential component to building the necessary struggles to end gender violence.
There is a real danger that racist violence will spread further. These are not spontaneous outbursts, but organised attempts to terrorise migrant communities under the false banner of ‘protecting women and girls’. It is vital that the racist lies at the heart of these actions are challenged head-on by anti-racist activists, by trade unions, and local communities. This means not just condemning physical attacks, but also calling out the racist narratives being peddled in workplaces, schools, and communities.
Fighting racism and fighting gender violence are not separate struggles—they are deeply linked. Both are rooted in a system that thrives on scapegoating and division. To really challenge the conditions that allow far-right ideas to take hold, we need to fight for a different future: one with properly funded public services, access to decent housing and mental healthcare, and education that promotes solidarity and respect, not suspicion and hate. That means going beyond reactive statements or isolated protests. Community groups, trade unions, socialists and others on the left need to come together now to build a sustained, grassroots campaign that confronts racist myths, challenges misogyny, and undercuts the far right’s attempts to gain further traction in working-class areas.
We say:
- Solidarity with the young girl at the centre of these horrific events, with all victims and survivors of gender violence – we must challenge misogyny and harmful gender norms and actively fight for the resources and services needed to support survivors and their loved ones including mental health services, practical support and judicial reforms;
- We fight hate and division with solidarity – No to the twisted lies that push racism and xenophobia with no real regard for the safety of women and girls;
- Let’s build united movements against gender violence in communities, workplaces, schools and colleges that can actually dismantle misogyny and machismo and that give no space to false, racist narratives.
As a first step, join us at the United Against Racism demonstration this Saturday June 14th, 12pm at Belfast City Hall.
