The Ending the Harm public awareness campaign is actively
changing perceptions about the harms perpetrated by paramilitary
gangs in Northern Ireland.
This was the clear message from the publication of new market
research insight into the public awareness campaign by the
Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime.
The current Ending the Harm campaign was launched in October 2024
and gives a name to the many ways that paramilitaries exploit
vulnerable people. It helps to raise awareness and encourage the
difficult conversations that are vital to keep people safe from
the harm caused by paramilitary gangs.
In a recent online omnibus survey with a representative sample of
people from Northern Ireland, 77% of respondents regarded the
campaign as believable, 66% of respondents thought it was
impactful and 89% of respondents fully supported what the
campaign was saying and trying to do.
The research has highlighted that the majority of respondents
agreed with the campaign statements that paramilitary gangs:
- Controlled communities with violence, intimidation and drug
dealing (67%)
- Exploited hard-working local businesses (65%)
- Forced children into violence, stealing their future (63%)
- Robbed businesses by taking their hard-earned money (61%)
- Groomed children to force them to sell drugs (59%)
Agreement with the campaign statements was higher with
respondents who were already aware of the campaign verses those
who were looking at the posters for the first time, helping to
validate the importance of this campaign to highlight a range of
‘hidden' paramilitary harms.
Finally, the impact of the campaign on respondents was both
significant and powerful, with the majority in agreement that
‘paramilitaries are just criminals' (79%), ‘there was no place
for paramilitary gangs in Northern Ireland's future' (77%),
‘paramilitaries don't protect you, they intimidate their own
communities' (76%), and they exploit women and children (69%).
Notes to editors:
1. In December 2024 campaign tracking research was undertaken for
the current Ending the Harm campaign. Approximately 1,000 people
were surveyed through an Online Omnibus Survey, with the sample
being representative of the Northern Ireland adult (18+)
population.
2. The current campaign, which highlights issues including child
criminal exploitation, grooming, violence extortion of local
businesses and violence against women and girls, was launched in
October 2024 and utilises a wide range of outdoor advertising
spaces, including large-size billboards, smaller poster sites and
bus stops. It has appeared in communities right across Northern
Ireland. The campaign is also present on bus advertising, giving
us further visibility in geographical areas where there may
be a lack of advertising space.
3. You can view the campaign posters and the survey report
here: www.endingtheharm.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/018742-ETH-Statements.pdf
4. The Political Advisory Group to EPPOC, comprised of
representatives from Executive parties Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance,
and UUP, has welcomed the campaign at its launch, issuing the
following collective statement:
“We continue to support the vital work aimed at supporting
communities and individuals vulnerable to paramilitary harm. The
Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime
(EPPOC), which was recently extended until 2027, plays a critical
role in coordinating, understanding and raising awareness of this
issue. This is evident in the latest phase of the Ending the Harm
campaign being launched today which draws on EPPOC's knowledge of
the often hidden harms inflicted on communities by violent groups
using paramilitary names. Collectively, we believe that it is
important to call this criminality out for what it is and
facilitate a whole-of-society conversation about that activity,
its consequences and causes. This will better enable all of us to
ensure that the focus on addressing this harm is best placed, now
and in the future.”
5. At the launch of the campaign, a wide range organisations also
provided statements of support for the campaign. They can be
found here: https://www.endingtheharm.com/research-papers/widespread-support-for-campaign-that-challenges-harms-hidden-in-plain-sight/
6. The original campaign launch news article can be found here:
www.endingtheharm.com/news-and-events/new-campaign-highlights-ongoing-paramilitary-harm/
