Renewed calls for justice for sexual violence survivors

A seminar held in Auckland has heard renewed calls for changes to trial and pre-trial procedures in cases of sexual violence. This follows Justice Minister Judith Collins shelving recommendations made by the Law Commission in September 2012.

Speaking at the seminar, former Deputy President of the New Zealand Law Commission Dr Warren Young said the Law Commission had consulted former judge and Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright in the course of its work. He said he had been struck by her comment: "If I had a daughter who was raped, I would strongly advise her not to go near the criminal justice system."

Speakers at the seminar included:

• Survivor Advocate Louise Nicholas
• Dr Warren Young, former Deputy President of the New Zealand Law Commission
• Victoria University Associate Professor Elisabeth McDonald
• Stella Gukibau and Sue Ngawati Osborne, Tu Wahine Trust
• Paulette Benton-Greig, Project Restore, a restorative justice provider specialising in sexual abuse cases

The speakers’ PowerPoint presentations are now available on the Women's Health Action website. An article on the seminar is in Women's Health Update volume 13, number 3, September 2013.

Update: Also now available online are the video clips of a panel discussion on rape culture and the criminal justice system hosted by Wellington Rape Crisis in April 2013. Speakers were:

• Elisabeth MacDonald, Associate Professor at the Victoria University of Wellington School of Law, who draws on feminist legal theory and has conducted extended research in the area of ‘real rape’ and sexual violence on trial.
• Louise Nicholas, a survivor advocate with first hand experience dealing with the criminal justice system.
• Jan Logie, Green MP who had pioneered the “Everyone Needs the Right Help Campaign” to highlight the need for better access to specialist services for survivors of rape and sexual abuse.