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Woman's Hour

Violence against women in NI, Singer Rita Wilson, Fashion getting skinnier?

Woman's Hour

BBC

Society & Culture

4.13K Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2026

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The music in this broadcast has been removed from this podcast for rights reasons.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland said last week that it is "shameful" that Northern Ireland is the part of the UK where it is "most dangerous to be a woman". He described the scale of violence against women and girls in the area as a "source of enormous sadness" and "shame". Thirty women have been violently killed in Northern Ireland since 2020, two lost their lives just this month. They were 28-year-old Amy Doherty and 23-year-old Ellie Flanagan. So what is being done about the violence, which is predominantly carried out by men? Krupa Padhy is joined by Allison Morris from the Belfast Telegraph, BBC journalist Jennifer O'Leary, who has made a documentary telling the story of domestic violence in Northern Ireland through the tale of a women's refuge, as well as Marie Brown, CEO of Foyle Women's Aid and Foyle Family Justice Centre.

Rita Wilson discusses her new album of deeply personal songs, Sound of a Woman. She's a film and TV actor, as well as a singer/songwriter, and was the producer behind blockbuster movies Mamma Mia! and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Rita also happens to be married to Tom Hanks. She joins Krupa to share her reflections on marriage, parenthood and illness.

The Society of Radiographers has said that the demand for ultrasound has increased, but there aren't enough people being trained to do the work. They say this is leading to pregnant women and cancer patients facing delays for vital ultrasound scans which could be 'dangerous for the patient.' Rachel Nolan, president elect of the Society of Radiographers, tells us what needs to change.

A recent Vogue Business size inclusivity report has documented a decline in the use of models with bigger bodies on the catwalk. Of the almost 8,000 looks presented across over 180 shows and presentations for Autumn/Winter 2026, over 97% of the looks were what is called "straight-size" (that's a UK size 4-8), just over 2% were mid-size (a UK size 10 - 16), and only 0.3% were plus-size (a UK size 18). Last season, it was 0.9%. So plus-size representation has declined. The report also cites the growing use of weight loss drugs (GLP-1s) as a key part of the change compared to recent years. So, what's happening in the fashion industry when it comes to body-size inclusivity, and are we seeing an impact on the clothing sizes available in the shops on our high streets? Elizabeth Paton, Fashion Editor of the Financial Times, and Gabriele Dirvanauskas, Deputy Editor at Drapers magazine, join Krupa in the studio.

Transcript

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0:00.0

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio Podcasts.

0:05.6

Hello, I've just nipped in before your BBC podcast starts to tell you all about

0:09.4

You're Dead to Me. We're the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Also from the BBC

0:13.9

and presented by me, Greg Jenner. I should have told you that at the beginning. Sorry.

0:17.9

Anyway, like many other BBC podcasts, such as Desert Island Discs, Evil Genius, or In Our Time, your dead to me is available first on BBC Sounds,

0:26.3

a whole month earlier than anywhere else, in fact. So if you can't wait another day to hear

0:31.2

the very latest in history and loads of other good stuff, then listen first on BBC Sounds.

0:36.5

Hello, I'm Neula McGovern and you're listening to The Woman's Hour podcast.

0:41.2

And while you're here, I wanted to let you know that the Woman's Hour Guide to Life is back.

0:47.0

You might have listened to some of the episodes from the first series, including ambition without burnout,

0:53.0

or turning aging into your superpower.

0:55.5

Well, we've got six new episodes for you over the coming weeks that will give you practical

1:00.6

tips on issues like self-promotion without feeling awkward, caring for aging parents, navigating

1:07.8

infertility with family and friends, and also how to love your face, whatever your age.

1:15.1

I'm really excited about this series of The Woman's Hour Guide to Life,

1:19.4

so I really hope you'll join us.

1:21.4

You will find the episodes in the Woman's Hour podcast feed on Sundays.

1:25.4

It's only on BBC Sounds.

1:30.2

But now, back to today's Woman's Hour.

1:38.1

Hello and thank you for being with us. On the programme, we are putting a spotlight on violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland this morning. Two women were violently killed

1:43.0

in the country this month and it's been described

1:45.5

as part of the UK where it is the most dangerous to be a woman. So what is going on? And what's

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