“The invisibility of sexual, and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Northern Irish conflict (between 1968 and 1998) and the implications of shedding light on this phenomenon on social policy and policy processes.”

This study explores the invisibility of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) during the Northern Irish conflict (1968–1998) and its implications for social policy and policymaking. Using qualitative methodologies, including oral histories, semi-structured interviews, and "walking and talking" interviews, the research examines both public (state-perpetrated) and private (domestic) forms of SGBV, alongside their intersection with religious, cultural, and political dimensions. Participants include SGBV survivors, women’s organisation representatives, political figures, activists, and journalists.

The study highlights how SGBV during the conflict has been marginalised due to political sensitivities, challenges in evidencing violence, and a broader focus on militarised conflict rather than gendered harms. It underscores how "gender blindness" in recognition and response perpetuates the invisibility of these experiences in law, policy, and academic discourse. Additionally, the research investigates underexplored areas such as British State forces’ use of strip searches as public SGBV.

The findings aim to provide critical insights into the structural factors and systemic failures surrounding SGBV, contributing to contemporary policy developments like Northern Ireland’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. The study challenges dominant narratives by evidencing SGBV in contexts traditionally excluded from global conflict-related discourse, offering transformative potential for addressing gendered violence in transitional justice and post-conflict policy frameworks.