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Weekly Media Roundup

February 08, 2019 at 1:00 PM

Stuff: Keeping Anita safe: Hamilton pilots NZ domestic violence programme to reduce reoffending

Anita* sits in a bed at Waikato Hospital nursing a gunshot wound to her thigh. 

The day before she and her former partner had argued at their Fairfield, Hamilton home. 

She tried grabbing her two children, Hayley*, 2, and Jacob*, 6, to leave, but her partner wouldn't let her. 

He grabbed her by the neck, pinning her inside. When he refused to hand over her car keys, she tried punching him to get away. 

Frustration took over and he stormed into the garden where the president of a hunting club grabbed his loaded shotgun. 

He came back inside and fired a round into her leg.

"Why won't you talk to me," he yelled. "You made me do this."

Read more…

 

One News: New law hopes to make it easier for domestic abuse victims to testify, amid alarming strangulation rates

Alarming statistics have put the spotlight back on New Zealand's shocking domestic violence rates, but a new law hopes to make it easier for victims to testify against their abuser.

In New Zealand, on average, police attend a domestic violence incident once every four minutes. New information shows how many people are strangled in those incidents. 

The number of people charged with strangulation since a new law was introduced on December 3 has soared, with nearly 30 people having been charged within the first 11 days. That number is now over 250.

The damning statistics come as the Government looks at ways to make it easier for victims to testify in court. The new strangulation law is part of a wider government plan to reduce New Zealand's high domestic and sexual violence rates.

Read more…

 

Stuff: NZ Cricket should stop protecting Black Cap Scott Kuggeleijn

OPINION: New Zealand Cricket needs to pull down the barricade around Scott Kuggeleijn over his rape trials and lead an example on how sport can change attitudes towards women.

On Waitangi Day a woman at the Black Caps' T20 match against India in Wellington was made to feel uncomfortable because NZC, which is constantly reminding us it strives to be more inclusive of women, made a bad call.

NZC and Westpac Stadium security asked her to remove her "no means no" banner promoting sexual consent.

The banner was directed at Kuggeleijn, who was found not guilty of rape in 2017 and is now in the Black Caps' ODI and T20 teams.  Security staff embarrassingly surrounded the woman, attempted to confiscate the sign and then escorted her from her seat. They later admitted they had over-reacted.

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Stuff: Crowd banner promoting sexual consent removed from Westpac Stadium during Black Caps v India T20

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NZ Herald: Jarrod Gilbert: Ngai Tahu show what iwi can do with Treaty settlements

COMMENT:

If there is a measure of failure in this country, it's the over representation of Māori in our criminal justice system. Māori make up over half of the prison muster, but just 14 per cent of the population.

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Stuff: Big demand for safe rooms and alarms in Hutt Valley homes

Alison is so terrified of being assaulted, she had a safe room and panic button installed in her family home.

She is one of about 400 New Zealanders receiving protection from Whānau Protect.

Funded by the Ministry of Justice but run by Womens' Refuge, the scheme aims to protect men and women who are at extreme risk of violence in their own home.

In Lower Hutt, Whānau Protect co-ordinator Anne Cooge said demand outstrips supply and although her role is to sign up two people a month, she signed seven in January, with similar demand in February.

Read more…

 

Stuff: Rise in violent South Waikato children concerns

An influx in children as young as seven turning to violence has South Waikato social workers calling on the Government to do more.

Tokoroa Council of Social Services (TCOSS) general manager Josiah Teokotai said since the end of 2018 violence amongst children has been on the rise.

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Stuff: Abused husband's call for men's refuge in Blenheim

It wasn't the first time his wife had hit him, but it pushed Ben* to breaking point.

After being hit on the head, the Marlborough man said he was locked out of his house, and didn't know where to turn.

He ended up sleeping two nights under a bridge, alone and suicidal, before he wound up at Wairuau Hospital's emergency department.

Read more…

 

Stuff: Back from the Brink: Learning to live after a life of sexual abuse

For many years Natarsha Giddy thought her nightmares of being sexually violated as a toddler were just that - nightmares.

But she grew to realise that she was actually being haunted by real memories.

"He would take me to the hay barn and sexually abuse me," the Taranaki woman recalled, through tears, more than 40 years on. 

"It was very painful for me...I remember crying and telling him 'no, it hurts'."

Read more…

 

Stuff: R. Kelly New Zealand tour would 'reinforce sexual assault victims' feelings of shame'

Allowing controversial American R&B singer R. Kelly to perform in New Zealand would "reinforce sexual assault victims' feelings of shame" a support provider for sexual abuse survivors says.

Executive director of HELP, Kathryn McPhillips said being allowed to perform in New Zealand should be a "privilege".

"I understand there's no convictions for R. Kelly - but it's very tough to get a conviction for these kinds of crimes and you can't expect to do that kind of abhorrent behaviour and then be welcomed here."

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Newshub: Women's Refuge urges fans of 'violent predator' R. Kelly not to buy tickets to New Zealand show

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NZ Herald: Chris Schulz: Why New Zealand needs to close the closet door on R Kelly

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Stuff: WorkSafe responding to Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children bullying complaint

A WorkSafe investigator has been appointed to probe allegations of bullying at Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children.

The regulator, which has come under fire for its failure to prosecute a single workplace bullying case, now also plans to make changes to its reporting system .

Stuff revealed in December that senior ministry social worker, Susan Kennedy, attempted suicide and suffered two sensory strokes after numerous incidents of workplace bullying and sexual harassment.

Subsequently more staff from Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children came forward and reported alleged bullying.

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Stuff: NRL threatens Ben Barba with life ban after alleged assault of his partner

Ben Barba will be banned for life by the NRL if domestic violence allegations are proven.

The former Dally M winner was sacked by North Queensland on Friday after club officials viewed CCTV footage of an incident at a Townsville casino on the Australia Day weekend.

Barba is alleged to have assaulted his partner and mother of his four children, Ainslie Currie, and is being investigated by police.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said the game would refuse to register any future contract if he was found guilty.

"We have run out of patience and tolerance for misbehaviour off the field," Greenberg said on Saturday.

"Violence against women is the very top of that list. If you're violent against a woman you can expect to be removed from the game. It starts now.

Read more…

 

Stuff: Judge tells domestic violence perpetrator to stop blaming others for his issues

A manipulative man who abused his ex-partner, then got his new partner and a friend to lie about it, has been chewed out by a judge for trying to blame his offending on others.

Warren Neil Johnson, 47, was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court on Thursday to 26 months' jail for multiple offences against his ex-partner.

Read more…



Category: News Media