NICVA supports ‘Ending the Harm’ public awareness campaign

21 Jun 2021 Shauna O'Neill    Last updated: 21 Jun 2021

Ending the Harm campaign image

NICVA is lending it's support to a new hard-hitting public awareness campaign, focusing on how paramilitary gangs use illegal money lending as a means to control and exploit vulnerable people.  

The campaign has been developed and delivered by the Northern Ireland Executive Programme to Tackle Paramilitary Activity, Criminality and Organised Crime.

The Programme is active across all of Northern Ireland to support people and communities who are vulnerable to paramilitary influence and harm, with commitments being delivered collaboratively by government departments, statutory agencies and partners in the voluntary and community sector.

Seamus McAleavey NICVA Chief Executive commented “NICVA supports this campaign to tackle illegal money lending.  We recognise that people have real needs to borrow money at times, but loan sharks will only make people’s lives worse with extortionate rates of interest.  Many are also associated with or backed by organised crime organisations that will use threats and violence to enforce their loan collections.  NICVA published this report Expensive Lending in Northern Ireland in 2013 in which we highlighted the problem then alongside legal Payday loans and called for action.

Our advice to community and voluntary organisations is, if you know victims of these crimes ask them to seek help from AdviceNI Debt advisors. Victims need to know there is a network of advisors there to help them”.

Visit the Ending the Harm website for more information on the campaign.

Advice NI offers confidential debt advice to anyone who finds themselves in this situation. Contact 0800 915 4604. 

shauna.oneill@nicva.org's picture
by Shauna O'Neill

Communications Officer

[email protected]

Share your COVID-19 support service

Organisations providing support to people and communities can share their service information here

> Share your support

Not a NICVA member yet?

Save time, money and energy. Join NICVA and you’ll be connecting in to a strong network of local organisations focused on voluntary and community activity.

Join Us

NICVA now welcomes all small groups for free.

Read more on...