The brother of murder victim Natalie McNally was among the speakers at a rally against gender violence in Belfast on Saturday.
The number of femicides in Northern Ireland since 2020 reached 30, following the murder of 28-year-old Amy Doherty in Derry last month.
Organised by the feminist group ROSA NI, large crowds marched behind the ‘Not One More’ rally from the courts at Chichester Street to Belfast City Hall.
Speaking at the rally, Brendan McNally said: “Natalie was one of 30 women in Northern Ireland who have lost their lives since 2020. The 30 women we are here to honour today.
“This is a rate of femicide that is a scourge upon this society.
“Each case shows its own terrible circumstances, but we must look to the greater themes that they as a whole reveal.
“This is very much a male issue and time and time again we see the same behaviours and mentalities.”
Mr McNally continued: “Going forward, we must invigorate education, raise voices and continue to support the women-led movements for justice and change and continue to ask the good people of Northern Ireland to do the same.”
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Natalie McNally (32) was 15-weeks pregnant when she was killed at her Lurgan home in December 2022. Her former boyfriend, Stephen McCullagh (36) was found guilty of her murder last month. McCullagh has tried to create a false alibi by livestreaming a pre-recorded video-gaming session.
Sonya McMullan from Women’s Aid also spoke at the rally, calling on the NI Assembly to have a specific offence for femicide.
“We demand a full life term of imprisonment,” she said.
“We need zero tolerance and we owe it to each and every woman in the whole island of Ireland, for all of those women who have died, for their families, for their loved ones, their sisters, their daughters, their mothers, their grandmothers.
“I don’t want to have to stand here anymore and see families and be at vigils.
“We have to take a zero tolerance and each and every one of you need to use your voice.”
Other speakers at the event included Mel Bradley from Alliance For Choice Derry, Hazel Behan from the organisation Éist and Fiona Ferguson from People Before Profit.
