FERMANAGH Women’s Aid has united in grief with its colleagues around the North after three women were tragically murdered in the past four weeks in an “incredibly difficult time” locally.
The Belfast community was left stunned on Friday when 43-year-old Rachel Simpson was murdered, with a 21-year-old man later charged by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
It comes just weeks after Sophie Watson (57) from Magherafelt was allegedly murdered after sustaining several stab wounds, with the Derry community left in mourning at her death.
Montserrat Martorell, a 65-year-old Belfast resident, was also tragically murdered, with a 21-year-old man charged with her death, which Police described as a ‘horrific and sustained attack’.
Fermanagh Women’s Aid shared a statement from the service following Ms Simpson’s death.
“Women’s Aid NI wish to express our sincere condolences to the loved ones of Rachel Simpson following the horrific news of her murder in East Belfast,” said a Women’s Aid statement.
“Our thoughts are with you all at this incredibly difficult time.
“Rachel is the 23rd woman to be killed in Northern Ireland since 2020. She is the third woman murdered in Northern Ireland within the past four weeks,” they added.”
The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed that there had been a reported 32,763 domestic abuse incidents across the North for the year up to March 31.
Speaking after her appointment as interim Chief Executive Officer of Fermanagh Women’s Aid, Kerrie Flood, pictured left, said that the Enniskillen organisation would do its best to support local females.
“It is very clear by the strength of our community support, that Fermanagh will not tolerate domestic and sexual violence,” Ms Flood said.
“Each woman in our team is deeply committed to the work, to making things better, to keeping women and children safer.
“Our [Fermanagh Women’s Aid] ethos runs through each person and my job really is about navigating the internal and external environment to enable them to continue to save lives.
“I want to create an environment in which our team feel empowered and supported so they can empower women and children to know that it is possible to live a life free from domestic violence.”
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