The news reports about the Roast Busters are chilling. Watching 3 News tonight was very upsetting. There has much been said online that is relevant.
The most important immediate question is – how hard have the police and authorities worked to support the woman who are living with the damage done to them by the rapes? And why wasn’t more being done to protect other women from having the same trials?
I’m with Carol Beaumont is correct in saying that there is a problem with our culture, as does the spokesperson fro Rape Crisis:
Meanwhile, Rape Prevention Education executive director Dr Kim McGregor said that if media reports about the Roast Busters were correct, what they were doing was “absolutely rape”.
“Some of the girls are children, they’re only aged 13 so that’s rape. Even if you’re over 16 and having sex with people who cannot give consent because they’re stupefied by a drug, that’s rape.”
The attitudes of the men involved were a “huge concern” and unfortunately widespread, she said.
“They have been saying it makes them feel like a man, and talking about women not as humans but as boasts – dehumanising them. I hope men’s groups are stepping up to address this.”
However, I am appalled with the latest NZ Herald report with the attitudes shown by the quotes from John key and Judith Collins. The article does report some good points made by Carole Beaumont:
Ms Beaumont said the case raised broader questions around the way rape victims were treated and questioned what was being done to change the culture that meant teenage boys thought such behaviour was acceptable.
But, as this article reports it, Key and Collins seem to be saying the problem has a lot to do with cyber-bullying:
Prime Minister John Key said today the “disturbing and disgusting” behaviour of the group will be unlawful under a bill about to be introduced to Parliament.
“As a parent I find the issue very disturbing and abhorrent,” he said at his post cabinet press conference this afternoon.
[…]
He said that their practice of naming a particular young woman would be unlawful under a law the Government is about to introduce, the Harmful Digital Communications Bill.
“But it is actually a bigger issue and it is just extremely disturbing and disgusting behaviour and these young guys should grow up,” he said.
He said it was very difficult to progress the issues if the victim was not willing to make a formal complaint.
So John Key is just going to sit back and say, “too difficult”? This just looks like a bit of opportunism by Judith and John, with a main focus on cyber-bullying, over-shadowing considerations to deal with the real, physical brutality of the crimes committed by the men – and they weren’t committed digitally:
Justice Minister Judith Collins foreshadowed the bill in April as a way to address cyber bullies.
Then the article goes into details of the cyber-bullying Bill. I’m sure that the government is looking for ways to be able to have more control over online behaviour. But surely as Justice Minister, Collins should have more to say on this issue? However, Collins is someone who enjoys perpetuating a bullying style of behaviour – also a problem in the masculine legacy that still dominates politics.
But there are urgent questions that need answering. Such as why the police seem unable to apprehended the rapists quickly, when they are very quick to arrest people for other suspected crimes?
NB: I will moderate this thread quite strongly. Comments that support rape culture will be deleted.
[Update] Scuba Nurse – positive steps to make a difference [h/t Pascal’s bookie]
Scuba Nurse has posted suggestions over at The Hand Mirror,
for how you can be brave, and carry your torch out into the community and really make a difference.
It’s a must read post. The ideas are explained under the following headings:
Be the light at the end of the tunnel.Be the voice of reality.Be the person brave enough to discuss “consent”.Be the person who knows the facts.Be the killjoy.Be the support person.Be the person advocating body autonomy for the children and young people around you.Be the person supporting those on the front line.
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