{"id":934025,"date":"2026-05-03T01:25:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T01:25:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/934025\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T01:25:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T01:25:31","slug":"im-using-my-platform-to-confront-a-crisis-happening-in-our-own-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/934025\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I’m using my platform to confront a crisis happening in our own communities’"},"content":{"rendered":"

She might be a finalist for next month’s Miss Great Britain Belfast 2026 competition but her story isn’t about pageantry\"belfastlive\"<\/p>\n

18:31, 02 May 2026Updated 18:54, 02 May 2026<\/p>\n

Miss GB finalist Lucy Watson’s mission to tackle violence faced by young women<\/p>\n

Lucy Watson is a determined young woman on an important mission.<\/p>\n

She might be a finalist for next month’s Miss Great Britain Belfast 2026 competition but her story isn’t about pageantry – it’s about power, pain, and how she is using her platform to confront a crisis happening in our own communities.<\/p>\n

The Media and Broadcasting student at Queen\u2019s University Belfast<\/a> is using her voice to help tackle the violence faced by many young women here.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Call for tougher firearm checks to tackle violence against women in NI<\/a>READ MORE: Pictured: The 30 women killed in Northern Ireland since 2020<\/a><\/p>\n

As a young woman growing up in Northern Ireland, the 20-year-old has experienced firsthand the realities many statistics attempt to capture.<\/p>\n

Violence against women and girls has been brought to the fore in Northern Ireland as the number of women killed here since 2020 has now reached 30. That number includes a pregnant mum-of-two in Lucy’s own hometown of Donaghadee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sarah Montgomery, 27, was found dead inside a house in the Elmfield Walk area of the Co Down <\/a>town on Saturday, June 28 2025.<\/p>\n

For Lucy, an aspiring journalist, the issue of violence against women and girls had been a \u201cpassion\u201d of hers for some time having faced grief, depression, bullying, and a toxic relationship as a teenager.<\/p>\n

\"Miss<\/p>\n

Miss GB finalist Lucy Watson speaks to Belfast Live(Image: Justin Kernoghan\/Belfast Live)<\/p>\n

She told Belfast Live<\/a>: “That relationship, in particular, showed me how easily control, fear, and emotional harm can take hold \u2014 and how difficult it can be to recognise and leave. Finding the strength to walk away was not easy, but it changed my life. It is why I now speak not just with passion, but with lived experience.<\/p>\n

“Across Northern Ireland<\/a>, the scale of violence against women is deeply concerning. Studies suggest that up to 98% of women will experience some form of violence or abuse in their lifetime \u2014 whether physical, emotional, or sexual.<\/p>\n

“In addition, domestic abuse incidents remain consistently high, with police responding to thousands of calls each year. These are not just numbers; they reflect the lived reality of women<\/a> in our communities \u2014 our friends, classmates, colleagues, and neighbours.<\/p>\n

“For a long time, I felt silenced by my experiences. Then I made a decision: I would turn my voice into something stronger than what tried to break me.”<\/p>\n

She added: “30 women have been killed since 2020 and I’ve seen this even in my hometown, Donaghadee with the murder of Sarah Montgomery<\/a>, so it’s something that’s affected me and my community personally.<\/p>\n

“We need to erase the sort of taboo of talking about it. We need to let girls and women know that what happened to them isn’t normal. They are normal people and they are extraordinary people to be able to wake up and carry on their life even after what’s happened to them.”<\/p>\n

\"Sarah<\/p>\n

Sarah Montgomery(Image: PSNI)<\/p>\n

As part of her degree, Lucy worked on an assignment on drink spiking which included an interview with Justice Minister Naomi Long<\/a>, another experience which fuelled her desire to tackle relationship violence.<\/p>\n

She has also created an Instagram<\/a> page @but_shesaid<\/a> in a bid to encourage others to speak out.<\/p>\n

“Today, I use my platform to speak out about violence against women and girls<\/a> across Northern Ireland. I have interviewed political leaders, including Naomi Long, produced academic research on issues such as spiking and gender-based violence, and built an online advocacy space focused on women\u2019s safety and empowerment,” Lucy explained.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The finalist for next month’s Miss Great Britain Belfast 2026 competition is using her voice to help tackle the violence faced by many young women<\/p>\n

“I don’t describe myself as a victim of my circumstance, I would describe myself as a victor of my circumstance.<\/p>\n

“I’m in the very fortunate position that I’ve been able to come out the other side of what happened to me, a very strong and independent woman, but this isn’t the reality for a lot of other women.<\/p>\n

“They’re killed or they have mental health<\/a> effects. I’m so lucky and I know I am but I want other women and girls to be able to look at me and see that there is hope I can shoot for the stars, I can achieve my dreams.<\/p>\n

“In my initial sort of circle, I would be quite open about what happened to me if I’m asked, but I think people are usually quite shocked that I’d been through something like that because I come off as bubbly, confident and loud.<\/p>\n

“I’m very much not someone to stand for injustice – if I see something going on that’s not right, I’m the first person to be over there and say ‘stop that, snap out of it’.”<\/p>\n

\"Lucy<\/p>\n

Lucy is among the finalists for next month’s Miss Great Britain Belfast 2026 competition<\/p>\n

As a finalist for Miss GB Belfast, victory in the contest at The Merchant Hotel on June 7 will be about much more than the title to Lucy: “If crowned Miss Great Britain Belfast, I won\u2019t just be wearing a sash \u2014 I\u2019ll be using it to amplify a conversation that urgently needs to be louder.<\/p>\n

“My goal is to ensure that women feel seen, heard, and supported \u2014 and that conversations around abuse, particularly toxic relationships, are no longer hidden in silence.<\/p>\n

“I’m also pushing for a Women’s Safety Minister in Stormont and I’d go and bang on those doors to say why it is so important.”<\/p>\n

Video: Justin Kernoghan<\/strong><\/p>\n

To ensure you don’t miss out on all the latest from Belfast Live, be sure to make us your preferred source on Google<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n