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Original poster

14 of those arrested during Ballymena riots have since been reported for domestic abuse

38 replies

IwantToRetire · 24/08/2026 18:17

Police data from the past three years has consistently shown that a significant number of those arrested for their involvement in racist violence across the UK also had a history of domestic violence.

Megan McClure, from the Women’s Resource and Development Agency, said that "the attempt to frame racist violence and anti-immigration sentiment as a response to concerns about violence against women and girls is both deeply harmful and fundamentally dishonest.

“Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men known to victims, within families and communities, yet far-right actors repeatedly seek to redirect attention towards migrant and minority communities. In doing so, they exploit genuine public concern about women's safety to advance racist and divisive agendas.

“The events in Ballymena demonstrated how adroit the Far-Right have become at hijacking the ending VAWG narrative to promote hostility towards migrant communities. Not only does this cause direct harm to those targeted, it also distracts from the real work required to prevent male violence and support victims and survivors.”

Extracts from a much longer article at https://www.thedetail.tv/articles/14-of-those-arrested-during-ballymena-riots-have-since-been-reported-for-domestic-abuse

I dont think this is unique to NI as there was an earlier thread about similar statistics following a riot in another part of the UK. (I did try to find the thread to add to the existing one, but nothing came up.)

OP posts:
Imnobody4 · 24/08/2026 21:36

IwantToRetire · 24/08/2026 21:19

That isn't the issue, this notion of importing.

But the fact that home grown abusers are trying to argue that men like them aren't the problem it is only imported men who are the problem.

And everybody who falls for this false narrative is putting the vast majority of women at risk.

So it is not only excusing men who are violent because they are "one of us" but also saying to women who suffer their violence, sorry you aren't important.

But the fact that home grown abusers are trying to argue that men like them aren't the problem it is only imported men who are the problem.

And everybody who falls for this false narrative is putting the vast majority of women at risk.

Seriously? no one on this board has ever said that. This is a double bluff - ignoring the violence of imported men is the best way to prevent vawg in general.

Imnobody4 · 24/08/2026 21:20

Just more whataboutery. Concern about importing men from deeply misogynist cultures is not racism. If you want to neutralise the far right start facing up to grooming gangs and other vawg by men of other cultures.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 24/08/2026 21:19

That isn't the issue, this notion of importing.

But the fact that home grown abusers are trying to argue that men like them aren't the problem it is only imported men who are the problem.

And everybody who falls for this false narrative is putting the vast majority of women at risk.

So it is not only excusing men who are violent because they are "one of us" but also saying to women who suffer their violence, sorry you aren't important.

OP posts:
PrizedPickledPopcorn · 24/08/2026 21:07

I think as a woman and a feminist it’s hard to be unaware of the pandemic of violence against women and girls. While I agree @PollyNomial, all categories of crime are falling except violence against women and girls. Also unlike men, women and girls are at higher risk at home than in public.

None the less, welcoming men who will be violent towards women and girls in the street as well as at home seems u wise and unnecessary. Of course barring them doesn’t reduce the risk from our home grown misogynists but at least it avoids adding another category of predators for women to evade while navigating their daily lives.

MoaningKeating · 24/08/2026 20:31

This seems to be one of those "because we have homegrown domestic abusers, we should import more" arguments.

If services are stretched with dealing with VAWG why add more to it?

ArabellaScott · 24/08/2026 20:05

I recommend 'Home Grown' by Joan Smith on the links between dv and terrorism.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 24/08/2026 19:44

Heggettypeg · 24/08/2026 18:46

Being born here is no excuse for being violent to women.
Being an immigrant is no excuse for being violent to women.
Anyone who points at either cohort to distract attention from the activities of the other is not a friend to women. They have other agendas.
We need to reach a point where we can be confident that VAWG will be prosecuted without fear or favour, regardless of who is perpetrator and who is victim.

We need to reach a point where we can be confident that VAWG will be prosecuted without fear or favour, regardless of who is perpetrator and who is victim.

Exactly.

But also need to stop the false narrative about both who the perpetrators are and who the victims are.

OP posts:
Original poster
IwantToRetire · 24/08/2026 19:43

I think part of the point in articles like this and statement from women's groups working to end violence against women is to counter the narrative that implies it is only immigrants or asylum seekers who are committing acts of violence against women.

So part of the point of FWR linking to newspaper articles is to be aware of the public discussion as well as what we are saying to each other on FWR.

As I said, I tried to find the earlier thread, as it helps to have links that show the narrative.

And also, though strangely not posted on FWR as much is that for probably the last 2 years or so, women's support services have been putting out messages similar to the one in the article.

So maybe sadly, all this indicates that whether a news paper or a service provider, many in the British public dont pay any attention and continue with their belief set.

Sad
OP posts:
PrizedPickledPopcorn · 24/08/2026 19:25

AmnesiacsDream · 24/08/2026 19:04

Generally speaking, people who get involved in violence are violent people. They likely also have a history of cruelty to animals and other violence that are nothing to do with racism or misogyny.

I suspect that if the Guardian (or someone else) could get the arrest histories of everyone arrested for violence at progressive marches and demonstrations you would see something similar, ditto if you did similar for football violence.

This.

If you arrest people who are out rioting and being violent, they will be violent people.
There will be people who are not aggressive and violent who share the concern about boats, migration etc who don’t have a history of domestic violence. They won’t have been arrested for violent behaviour on the street and rioting.

It’s such a pointless observation, this one.

PollyNomial · 24/08/2026 19:14

Heggettypeg · 24/08/2026 18:46

Being born here is no excuse for being violent to women.
Being an immigrant is no excuse for being violent to women.
Anyone who points at either cohort to distract attention from the activities of the other is not a friend to women. They have other agendas.
We need to reach a point where we can be confident that VAWG will be prosecuted without fear or favour, regardless of who is perpetrator and who is victim.

My desire is for V to be prosecuted, full stop.

My infant nephew is no less deserving of protection than my toddler niece. Ditto my elderly father than my elderly mother. None of them should suffer it.

AmnesiacsDream · 24/08/2026 19:04

Generally speaking, people who get involved in violence are violent people. They likely also have a history of cruelty to animals and other violence that are nothing to do with racism or misogyny.

I suspect that if the Guardian (or someone else) could get the arrest histories of everyone arrested for violence at progressive marches and demonstrations you would see something similar, ditto if you did similar for football violence.

MyDpsanarse · 24/08/2026 19:00

No surprises there @IwantToRetire, most of the men in the race riots are just looking for an excuse for a physical fight, they're the same people who were the worst football thugs years ago, the same men who try to start a fight in the pub, the same men who see nothing wrong in hitting their wives to get their own way

Heggettypeg · 24/08/2026 18:46

Being born here is no excuse for being violent to women.
Being an immigrant is no excuse for being violent to women.
Anyone who points at either cohort to distract attention from the activities of the other is not a friend to women. They have other agendas.
We need to reach a point where we can be confident that VAWG will be prosecuted without fear or favour, regardless of who is perpetrator and who is victim.