Rotorua businessman's victim wants suppression laws changed
A woman abused by a Rotorua businessman says victims of sexual abuse should be able to choose whether to have their identity suppressed, rather than having it automatically applied.
The former Rotorua woman is one of two victims of the 59-year-old man, who has admitted 21 sexual abuse charges, including rape. He is due to be sentenced in Rotorua in March.
The man was granted interim name suppression while his victims' identities, by law, are automatically suppressed.
However, the woman wants to waive her right to name suppression so she can share her story, help other victims and draw attention to child sexual abuse.
She's started a website to help survivors of child sexual abuse and their families find the strength to live a fulfilling life, but feels hindered by her name suppression as she can't publicise the website, she said.
"Each one of those affected [by sexual abuse] is likely to grow up feeling lost, confused and alone, like I did. We need to encourage them to reach out and feel that they can live without feeling judged."
The woman was 12 when the man started abusing her until eventually it was happening on a weekly basis. The abuse eventually drove her to stop eating in an attempt to become "too ugly" for the man, so he would stop.
She said that, unfortunately, she wasn't alone in her story.
"Child sexual abuse is happening in our community under our own roof and we need to nip it in the bud. Part of this is to name and shame child sexual abusers and not protect them. Victims should have the choice to have their name suppressed rather than having it automatically applied, especially when the offender has been found guilty.
"Our community must understand that a common deterrent for many victims to report is the fear of not being believed, as well as the feeling of shame and embarrassment of being abused. By automatically assigning name suppression, it only confirms this stigma - that it is a shameful topic, which should be hidden from the public."
She said she hoped her abuser's name suppression would be lifted at his sentencing.
"Having his name and the names of other child sexual abusers made public, will not only discourage possible offenders but more importantly cement society's no-nonsense attitude towards offenders."
The woman has advised the courts that she wants her name suppression lifted but said no decision had yet been made.
Name suppression for victims of sex crimes can be lifted by the courts if the victim is 18 years or older, the court is satisfied they understand the impact of their decision and lifting their name suppression would not identify any other victim of a sex crime who still has suppression. Rotorua Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Peter Bentley said it was not uncommon for sexual abuse victims to want their name suppression dropped.
"Often after a period of time, when they reach adulthood and realise the horrible things that have happened to them, they may want to speak out about it rather than hide behind a wall of silence," he said.
"They've got nothing to be ashamed of, they've done nothing wrong, so why should they stay silent?"
Mr Bentley said for many victims, coming forward and speaking about their experiences helped them enormously in the healing process.
He said he didn't believe that those convicted of sex crimes should get name suppression in any circumstances.
"The only reason for name suppression is to protect the most vulnerable - child victims of sex crime. It should be there to protect them, not protect the defendant, regardless of whether they're public figures, sportsmen or businessmen. Those who do the crime should be open to public ridicule as much as you and I would be, if we committed a similar crime."
National Rape Crisis spokeswoman Anna-Kristy Munro-Charters said survivors of rape and sexual abuse had experienced trauma and name suppression limited any extra trauma that may occur from being named in the public sphere.
"Name suppression may be something that the survivors want or don't want and I feel that it should be a choice that is left for the survivor of sexual violence to make," she said.
Ms Munro-Charters said Rape Crisis statistics showed sexual violence was a huge problem in New Zealand, with one in three girls and one in six boys, under the age of 18, likely to experience some form of sexual abuse.
One in four women and one in 20 men would experience rape or attempted rape in their lifetime, she said.
Ms Munro-Charters advised anyone who has been affected directly or indirectly by rape or sexual abuse who want support to ring the National Rape Crisis line on (0800) 88 33 00.