NZ Bishops would support sex abuse investigation – PM says not necessary
Friday, November 16th, 2012
Archbishop John Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington New Zealand, and President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference says he supports the Royal Commission into institutionalised child abuse by priests announced in Australia.
Archbishop Dew said the NZCBC would support any similar investigation in New Zealand.
But the Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key says he does not see the need for an inquiry into child sex abuse, similar to the one announced in Australia
Key says a lot of work has already been done in New Zealand to prepare a white paper for vulnerable children.
He says the level of child abuse is too high, but programmes are being put in place to address that.
New Zealand’s Police Minister, Anne Tolley, says a sex offender register she is proposing would help keep track of offenders.
And Social Development Minister, Paula Bennett, says enough is already being done.
“I think the fact that we have been addressing historical abuse cases in this country, we have been doing it faster than it’s ever been done, we’ve been fronting up to some of the liability around that and settling a number of cases,” Ms Bennett said.
That includes the confidential listening and assistance service, through which people can raise allegations of abuse or neglect, or who have concerns relating to their time in state care before 1992.
“I think we’ve got other things in place that are addressing what, without a doubt, is cases of historical abuse.”
Source
I wish I could speak louder. Yet I have court ordered name suppression (the defence asked for this; I did not: trusting this speaks loudly). The suppression order adds to the silencing of my voice and the fear including post traumatic stress.
ReplyDeleteI have tried speaking up and have been a little successful Yet no one has chosen to "run with what I state" as in further investigation or the more public light on it.
I am a survivor of a rare crime and the offender was sent to jail (minimum sentence). They were associated (and working for) with a major support service here in NZ. I was treated very poorly by them including this head of service stating both parties (myself and the offender) were responsible for this crime and this was stated on the evening news and there was no support given at the time that a crime had been committed. The head of this service at the time was high profile and has since been a significant M.P. If I had been allowed to speak louder (unlike suppression) this perhaps may have got in the way of this M.P becoming high profile in our parliament And the integrity of a support service here in NZ.
What I have gone through has had Major impacts throughout these years. I live in social isolation and fear of speaking too loudly with regards to the above and my overall life journey; many have been in disbelief or "not knowing what to do" with so many traumas. I have survived them and stand by anyone who chooses to stand up to any/all intentional harms, coverups and corruptions. I can do this in my heart and from afar.
To be heard and acknowledged brings a few tears: Thankyou for publishing this.
DeleteMy heart goes out to all survivors of crime and trauma (and the related retraumas).
A quote that resonates....
"To those who abuse: the sin is yours, the crime is yours, and the shame is yours. To those who protect the perpetrators: blaming the victims only masks the evil within, making you as guilty as those who abuse. Stand up for the innocent or go down with the rest.”
― Flora Jessop, Church of Lies