In the 25 years since the Good Friday agreement was signed, paramilitarism in Northern Ireland has remained ever-present in some communities. Of the 3,260 instances of paramilitary violence meted out since Northern Ireland achieved peace, 349 have involved children.
These attacks have been shown to form part of an informal system of community “policing”. Both Loyalist and Republican paramilitary groups carry out so-called “punishments” against children accused of anti-social behaviour.
Sociologists, youth workers and community representatives are increasingly framing such attacks as a children’s rights issue. Lobbying from local pressure group Stop Attacks – with which I am affiliated – has led to significant changes in the way the police in Northern Ireland report on these incidents. Instead of labelling them as “punishments”, they are seen as acts of violence constituting human rights abuses.
