This weekend, Vanessa Whyte and her two teenage children will be laid to rest in County Clare. They were shot dead in their home in Maguiresbridge, County Fermanagh, last week — a brutal act of violence that’s once again drawn attention to the shocking femicide rate in Northern Ireland. 

Northern Ireland now has the second-highest rate of women being killed by men in Europe. The numbers are stark: since 2020, 28 women have died violently at the hands of men in the North, according to figures collected by Women’s Aid. And while the headlines shock, they rarely explain why this is happening — or what can be done to stop it. 

Ciara Doherty speaks to Tahnee McCorry, CEO of White Ribbon NI, an organisation working to prevent violence against women and girls. Together, they discuss what lies behind these horrifying statistics: a toxic mix of domestic violence, underfunded mental health care, post-conflict trauma, coercive control, and cultural silence. 

The podcast outlines how the vast majority of women killed knew their attacker — often a current or former partner — and that 21 of the 24 women murdered in Northern Ireland between 2020 and 2024 died in their own homes. Tahnee explains why we must start prevention early, how programs like Listen, Learn, Lead are making a difference, and why it’s time men stepped up to say: enough. 

We also hear about the new Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy from the Northern Ireland Executive — and why, despite the welcome words, activists say it’s woefully underfunded. 

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode, support is available. 

Contact the Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline — available 24/7 — on 1800 341 900 or email helpline@womensaid.ie.