Even though this has been a relatively trouble-free summer, paramilitary violence masquerading as a twisted form of local justice has been ongoing.
These arbitrary and barbaric attacks have been carried out by both loyalists and republicans, often in the back streets of a district where the paramilitaries exercise a malign influence over local communities.
In many cases, the victim and local people know who meted out a beating or shooting.
But the thugs who perpetrate this crime are confident that fear will prevent information being passed to the police.
Despite the number of so-called punishment attacks, it is still relatively rare for a victim to speak out about their ordeal.
However, a 32-year-old north Belfast man came forward yesterday after being shot in the leg by a gang of men on Thursday evening.
The man, who did not want to be named, said he was set upon by masked men, beaten and then shot.
He added that during this incident in the Oldpark area one of his assailants put a gun to his head but he knocked it from their hands and it jammed.
This man admitted that he is a dissident republican and said he believed the Provisional IRA was behind the attack.
Tensions between dissidents and main-stream republicans are nothing new.
In October 2000 the Provisionals were blamed for the murder of Real IRA man Joseph O'Connor in Ballymurphy, west Belfast.
The family of missing Armagh man Gareth O'Connor, who is facing charges relating to Real IRA membership, are convinced the Provisional IRA is behind his disappearance.
Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly has said the Oldpark shooting was wrong and should not have happened but republicans need to go further to ensure that all such incidents cease.
An incident in which a 35-year-old man was shot in both hands in Co Fermanagh is also being viewed with alarm.
The attack is believed to be only the second such paramilitary shooting in the county and no-one in the area wants to see this type of savagery creeping in.
All those responsible for paramilitary-style beatings and shootings must be utterly condemned.
No civilised society should tolerate the fascist behaviour which randomly selects who should be terrorised and maimed and who should not. Such gangsterism can never be regarded as justifiable.
