S2 EP5: Hugh Hume on PONI’s Work Addressing VAWG

For our December edition of That OA Thing, we welcomed Hugh Hume, Chief Executive of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI), as our sixth guest of the season.
Hugh joined Donal Galligan, Chief Executive of the OA, to discuss PONI’s role and critical work in addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG). With the issue being described as an ‘epidemic’ by the Northern Ireland Executive, this conversation sheds light on the dual focus of PONI’s efforts: addressing police officers abusing their position for sexual purposes and investigating police failings in preventing or addressing violence against women.
In this episode, Hugh shares:
• An overview of PONI’s role and investigatory powers.
• Lessons from their investigation into the tragic death of Katie Simpson, a case exemplifying systemic police failings.
• Insights into how PONI addresses corrupt and harmful behaviours that facilitate abuse of power within the police force.
• The broader societal changes required to combat VAWG and how PONI plans to drive these initiatives forward.
Don’t miss Hugh’s reflections on the chilling parallels between cases in Northern Ireland and England and Wales such as the Sarah Everard case, and the steps being taken to rebuild public trust in policing.
Click on the links below to listen:
🎵 Spotify: open.spotify.c...