To ask the Minister of Health to detail any mechanisms his Department has put in place to consult with those with lived experience of domestic and sexual abuse following the publication of the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy Action Plan Year 1-3.

The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that the voices of those with lived experience inform the implementation of the Domestic and Sexual Abuse (DSA) Strategy.

The key mechanism for engagement with those with lived experience is through the DSA Strategy Expert Reference Group (ERG), which includes representation from the voluntary and community sector and organisations that support victims and survivors. This enables views and experiences of victims and survivors to inform the ongoing implementation of the Strategy and its associated Action Plan.

The Department also works closely with delivery partners and service providers and makes use of the feedback and monitoring mechanisms they have in place to capture the experiences and views of victims and survivors. This helps to ensure that lived experience continues to inform the delivery, monitoring and ongoing development of actions under the Strategy.

In addition, officials have participated in training delivered by Women’s Aid on its Survivor Engagement Toolkit, which supports good practice in engaging with victims and survivors and helps to strengthen understanding of meaningful survivor engagement.