THERE were emotional scenes during Belfast City Council's monthly meeting as female councillors from across all parties spoke out against violence against women and girls with one councillor recalling the frightening experience of having her drink spiked.

In a series of powerful speeches throughout the night female councillors related the fear felt by women and girls across all sections of society and called on both male councillors and men in general to step up to the mark and call out abusive and misogynistic behaviour.

During the debate Jenna Maghie recounted a terrifying experience when she was a victim of having her drink spiked on a night out in Belfast 15 years ago.

Earlier, Green Party Councillor Áine Groogan brought to the council's attention the recent upsurge in violence against women and girls.

Councillor Groogan said: "Violence against women and girls is endemic, systemic and we have a huge amount of work to do as a society to wipe it out. Twenty-four women have been murdered in Northern Ireland over the last four years with a spike of four in a matter of days and my thoughts are also with the people of Derry who over the last week-and-a-half have also had a number of reported acts of rape and sexual assault."

Councillor Groogan called on men in general and also male councillors to stand up and attend with other female councillors the 'Reclaim the Night' march which is due to take place on 30 November.

Cllr Maghie spoke about a recent programme the council are working on to combat the spiking of drinks at hospitality events and then recalled her own experience of having her drink spiked.

Cllr Maghie said: "After reading about one woman's experience of being spiked, and it's the impact not only of the night itself but long after when you wonder what might have happened if you are unlucky enough not to have good friends around you who step in.

"Reading that post brought back my own experience with being spiked. I was spiked in a very well-known Belfast bar 15 years ago and it resulted in me ending up passed out in the toilets.

"At closing time my friend was told to leave despite them saying they couldn't find me. Twenty minutes later I was deposited outside by a bouncer and we were both left, the two of us, just trying to figure out what to do.

"That's terrifying. You're not in control of your own faculties and you're relying on a friend. I'm now the mum of a two-year-old girl and when I see the progress we've made in the past 15 years I am terrified about the fact that in 15 years she will be out too."

"We have to change this for all of the daughters of Belfast because it's not enough. Drink spiking is a scourge in this city."

Later that evening Cllrs Áine McCabe (SF) and Ruth Brooks (DUP) also spoke on the need for action with Cllr McCabe stating that council would be lit up pink this week for 'Project Pink’ by the Walkie Talkie Girlies society, a student group created to help young women feel safer when walking around Belfast.

Reclaim the Night will take place on Saturday 30 November 2024 as part of the 16 days of activism to end gender based violence.