Paramilitary attacks: 81 victims across Northern Ireland in last year

More than 80 people were attacked by paramilitaries in Northern Ireland in the year up to June

Eighty-one people were victims of paramilitary attacks in Northern Ireland between July 2018 and June 2019.

Seventeen of the victims were shot, while 64 were assaulted.

There were 12 paramilitary assaults in June of this year, the highest figure in a single month since April 2009.

In the previous 12-month period, there were 79 paramilitary-style attacks, including 20 shootings and 59 assaults.

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An advertising campaign targeting the paramilitaries behind the attacks is being relaunched on Monday.

Research found that fewer people in the areas most affected by paramilitary attacks now feel they are justified

The Ending the Harm campaign is part of the Northern Ireland Executive's action plan to tackle paramilitary activity, criminality and organised crime.

Radio adverts and social media activity will begin on Monday, while TV adverts are to be broadcast from next Monday.

Anthony Harbinson, from the Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime Programme Board, said the campaign had been effective.

An advertising campaign against paramilitary violence is being relaunched

He said before it was launched, research showed that 35% of people living in areas most affected by paramilitary activity thought the attacks were justified in certain circumstances.

He said the most recent research showed that has dropped to 19%.

"The purpose of this campaign has been to highlight the devastating toll these attacks have and help people understand that the criminals who carry out these attacks don't care about people, or justice, or solving social problems in communities," he said.

"They don't offer protection and they are only interested in exerting control and exploiting people for their own gain, using violence as a means to do so.

"But the reality is these barbaric attacks are still an issue of concern."