From this autumn, nursing students at Queen’s University Belfast will be the first to receive dedicated training on domestic abuse and violence against women and girls as part of their degree. This pioneering programme, The Unlock Safety Initiative, is designed to equip future nurses with the skills to recognise abuse, respond effectively to disclosures, and connect patients with support services.
Developed in collaboration with the Royal College of Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery Queen’s University Belfast, Women’s Aid Federation NI and the End Violence Against Women and Girls Change Fund at The Executive Office, this initiative marks a significant step forward in tackling the issue of violence against women and girls with the capacity to reach over 600 nursing students.
The training will be delivered annually to pre-registration nursing students throughout their degree programme, ensuring students gain sustained and practical knowledge to support victims and play an active role in building a safer society.
This groundbreaking launch comes at a pivotal moment. In 2024, Northern Ireland introduced its first ever Ending Violence Against Women & Girls Strategic Framework. PSNI data reveals that domestic abuse accounts for around 20% of all recorded crime in the region. Tragically, six women were killed last year—most in their own homes.
Supported by The Executive Office’s Change Fund, The Unlock Safety Initiative will become an integral part of the nursing degree at Queen’s University, ensuring that future nurses are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support victims and contribute to ending violence against women in Northern Ireland and create a safer society for everyone."
Professor Rita Devlin, Executive Director of RCN Northern Ireland, said:
“Despite greater recognition in recent years, domestic abuse often remains a hidden issue. While many healthcare professionals understand the challenges faced by those affected, that is not always the case.
“Domestic abuse is a complex matter that all healthcare professionals should be equipped to recognise and respond to. They need to understand who may be affected, how signs can present differently across care settings, how to sensitively raise the issue, and most importantly, how they can offer effective support.
“This initiative will equip nursing students to deal with this issue and develop greater understanding from the outset of their nursing career and is vitally important to address the issue of violence against women and girls.
“As a nearly 90 per cent female profession, the RCN is committed to empowering nurses, midwives and healthcare workers with the knowledge and tools to address domestic abuse—whether they encounter it in their professional roles or in their own lives.”
Sarah Mason MBE, CEO of Women’s Aid Federation NI, said:
“Women’s Aid are thrilled to be part of this great initiative, the first of its kind in NI. We were certainly pushing at an open door with RCN and QUB at what is a most opportune time with Ending Violence Against Women and Girls a key issue on the Programme for Government, and with the secure funding from The Executive Office Change Fund that made this happen.
Working in partnership with Royal College of Nursing and School of Nursing and Midwifery, QUB, Women’s Aid Federation are delighted to be part of this robust capacity building training model for nursing students across the whole three years of their degree. This exciting model will raise awareness, develop knowledge and understanding and build capacity to respond. The potential reach of this training is vast with 600 student nurses joining the NHS workforce equipped with tools to address violence against women and girls. This is good day on the road to prevention.”
Professor Kenda Crozier, Head of the QUB School of Nursing & Midwifery, said:
We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with RCN and Women's Aid to bring together this education initiative which we will evaluate as it is implemented. Ending violence against women and girls is a multifaced problem which requires cross disciplinary working at every level.
This initiative forms one part of a larger government strategy in which Queen's University Belfast is playing an active role through a number of projects.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “Ending the scourge of violence against women and girls requires a focus on prevention and delivering initiatives which bring real and meaningful change across our society.
“We are delighted to be supporting Women’s Aid Federation in this fantastic scheme as they work in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing and Queen’s University.
“This training is an important opportunity to equip frontline healthcare workers with the tools they need to recognise and tackle violence and harm against women and girls from the start.
“It will make a big difference to the lives of women and girls and help us build a society where they feel safe and are safe everywhere."
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: “Our Regional Change Fund was established to enable experienced organisations like Women’s Aid Federation to deliver projects that will bring real and meaningful change which is exactly what this initiative will do.
“By equipping nursing students with the knowledge and skills to recognise abuse and take appropriate action, we can help victims and ensure they get the support they need in a safe environment.
“By working together, we can bring an end to violence against women and girls and I have no doubt initiatives like this will make a difference.”
As part of the initiative, participating nurses will receive a ‘Feeling Safe is Key’ badge, signifying their training and letting patients know they are a safe and trusted professional to confide in if they feel unsafe.
Today’s announcement will hopefully be the start of creating a more open and understanding society in addressing violence against women and girls. To find out more about this programme visit: womensaidni.org/resources/unlocksafety/
