24 police officers moved from domestic abuse unit to deal with riots in Ballymena
A senior PSNI officer said she 'cannot begin to describe the challenges' the force is dealing with within its public protection unit.
Detective Chief Superintendent Zoe McKee, head of public protection at the PSNI, gave evidence to MPs (UK Parliament/PA)
Twenty-four police officers were removed from duties investigating sex crimes and domestic abuse to deal with recent public disorder in Northern Ireland, MPs have been told.
A senior PSNI officer said she 'cannot begin to describe the challenges' the force is dealing with within its public protection unit.
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee held an evidence session on ending violence against women and girls.
The Stormont Executive launched its first Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy last year.
Detective Chief Superintendent Zoe McKee is head of the public protection team at the PSNI, which deals with sex crimes and domestic abuse.
She told the committee that there are 'real challenges' for police due to the funding situation.
Scores of police officers have been hurt during recent rioting in Northern Ireland (Brian Lawless/PA)
She said: 'If we do not have the dedicated resources to deal with issues like this, we are going to be in this perpetual cycle and we are going to be creating our own legacy in time.
'I cannot begin to describe the challenges within public protection arena within policing currently.
'By way of example, even this week alone I have had 24 officers extracted for public disorder which actually stemmed from a violence against women and girls offence.
'That narrative has been lost in a lot of what has happened in recent weeks.
'We are facing significant under-funding challenges, a £21 million gap and we have officers at the very lowest level we have ever had in the PSNI, at 6,200 and we should be sitting at 7,500.
'They are real challenges which effect how we deliver services and support victims and prosecute offenders for all of the violence against women and girls offence types.'
More than 60 police officers have been injured in disturbances that started last week after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena and later spread to other areas.
Dr Siobhan McAllister
Dr Siobhan McAllister, senior lecturer in criminology Queen's University Belfast, told the committee that there is still a 'mistrust' in some communities about reporting domestic crimes to police.
She said: 'We see this being passed down within families and within communities, you don't go to the police and paramilitaries within communities might know then if you go to the police.
'That still does have an impact.'
DUP leader Gavin Robinson asked if delays within the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland was a barrier to female victims coming forward.
Sonya McMullan
Sonya McMullan, regional services Manager for Women's Aid Northern Ireland, told the committee she had been dealing with a domestic abuse victim who had waited five years for her abuser to be sentenced.
She said: 'People are dropping out (of the criminal justice system), we have this issue all of the time, it doesn't instil public confidence in people going forward.
'Are you going to put your life on hold for five years?
'We have had women coming forward saying I am not going through this, I simply cannot put myself and my family through this.
'People talk about the retraumatisation going through the court process and having to relive that.
'A lot of that doesn't encourage people to come forward.'
Detective Chief Superintendent Zoe McKee, head of public protection at the PSNI, gave evidence to MPs (UK Parliament/PA)
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