Responses to the 'Roast Busters'

Mon 04 Nov 2013

Media reporting on a group of Auckland young men calling themselves the ‘Roast Busters’ has sparked widespread discussion about rape, consent ...

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Media reporting on a group of Auckland young men calling themselves the ‘Roast Busters’ has sparked widespread discussion about rape, consent and young people. The responses below highlight issues in the wider culture and systems responses to sexual violence. It is being regularly updated (most recent information at the end).

University of Auckland academic Nicola Gavey writes about rape culture and the connection between sexual violence and a wider cultural tolerance of misogyny: "Reading their arrogant misogynist bravado and knowing what it is claimed they have done to girls, it is difficult not to find them despicable. It would be comforting if we could believe that they were mad or bad individuals, because it is more manageable to think about how we can fix that. At the same time, it’s clear that they are part of a community in which they are not universally seen as 'beyond the pale'."

Green Party MP Jan Logie blogged about the ways rape is talked about and prosecuted and asked Judith Collins in Parliament if she would now consider an alternative trial process for sexual abuse cases. This followed Police statements that girls targeted by the ‘Roast Busters’ have not been "brave enough" to bring a complaint. Judith Collins shelved recommendations by the Law Commission to make the legal system less traumatising and revictimising for sexual abuse survivors in 2012.

Green party co-leader Metiria Turei wrote to Police Minister Anne Tolley to ask for action on the Law Commission's recommendations. She also wants joint ministerial responsibility between Police and the Ministry of Justice on the issue established, and a cross-party group of MPs to look at issues raised by the 'Roast Busters'. Judith Collins wrote about what she and the Ministry of Justice is doing in the NZ Herald and on TVNZ's Q+A, including a paper going to Cabinet. Associate Professor of law Elisabeth McDonald spoke in detail about victim/survivors' experiences and the prosecution of sexual violence on Radio NZ. Jan Logie blogged about the failure to make changes beyond "inadequate window dressing" as well as the need for increased funding for education and support services.

On 26 November, Judith Collins announced some changes around the giving of evidence in sexual offence cases. Jan Logie welcomed the changes but called them "baby steps", saying "The reforms that she has announced, while a positive step, are not going to achieve the change that New Zealanders are crying out for and would not, for example, have made prosecuting the so called 'Roast Busters' group any more likely."

Labour's Women's Affairs spokeswoman Carol Beaumont also raised the recommendations on the legal system and questioned what was being done to change the culture that meant teenage boys thought this sort of behaviour to young women was acceptable. "Those providing services that seek to prevent sexual violence or to assist survivors of sexual violence continue to face funding constraints. There are at least three Government ministers who have a stake in this – Police Minister Anne Tolley, Ms Collins, and Minister of Women's Affairs Jo Goodhew. In light of these ghastly revelations they need to ask some hard questions and then take some action." Ministerial responsibility for the sexual violence sector was taken on by Paula Bennett in February this year.

Calls have also been made for sexuality education / sexual violence prevention programmes in schools addressing sexual ethics, violence, consent, myths around rape and bystander interventions. Rape Prevention Education talked about the "worrying attitudes" they encounter when delivering their BodySafe sexual violence prevention programme in schools. A 2012 stocktake of primary prevention activities in New Zealand found that the specialist sexual violence sector has developed a range of primary prevention programmes but government funding was needed to develop capacity, capability, resources and infrastructure.

Current and former students of the school many of the 'Roast Busters' go to or went to have written an open letter to their school and spoke at the march in Auckland on 16 November 2013.

The President of the School Trustees Association president Lorraine Kerr, chairman of the Secondary Principals' Council Allan Vester and vice-president of the Secondary Principals' Association Michael Williams had said in the media that the issue was a concern for schools but also talked about their "powerlessness" or limited ability to affect students' behaviour outside school hours. In contrast, internationally whole-of-school approaches to sexual violence prevention have been utilised, including staff training/professional development, school policies, respectful relationships curriculum, train the trainer, peer educator programmes and ongoing evaluation. Specialist agencies called for the Government to make sexual violence prevention education mandatory in high schools, saying "Does the school's responsibility end at the gate? We say no. It is part of the responsibility of giving education."

The New Zealand Herald reported on condemnation of the victim-blaming in a Radio Live interview with a friend of one of victims of the 'Roast Busters' (content warning: victim-blaming). A social media campaign led to station sponsors pulling their advertising from the show. Hosts John Tamihere and Willie Jackson were then taken off air for the rest of 2013, in response to the comments they made. Jackson was later reinstated while Mr Tamihere's contract was not renewed. On 23 December 2013, John Tamahere filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract and defamation over his exit from the company. He is seeking damages of over $620,000.

Wellington Rape Crisis and Helen Sullivan from the Wellington Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation outlined changes they believe need to be made in preventing and responding to sexual violence.

In contrast to statements first provided by the Police, Police confirmed that they received a formal complaint from a 13 year old who said she was raped by the 'Roast Busters' in 2011, after the young woman spoke out on TV 3. Three other young women made informal complaints. Police Minister Anne Tolley has asked the Independent Police Complaints Authority to investigate the Police handling of the 'Roast Busters'.

The failure of New Zealand Police to implement many of the 60 recommendations identifying systemic issues and behavioural patterns within the police 6 years after their release has also been highlighted.

Police investigating the 'Roast Busters' have launched a phone line: 0800 OP CLOVER (0800 672 568). They are encouraging anyone who wishes to speak to the enquiy team to call.

A multi-agency investigation involving the police, Child Youth and Family, the Ministry of Education and ACC has been launched to investigate the group of boys/young men involved.

Thousands of people marched at events in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton and others centres on Saturday 16 November.

An online petition calling for the Prime Minister to make changes ensuring justice for rape victim/survivors reached 100,000 signatures on 17 November and was delivered to Parliament on 21 November 2013.

The National Council of Women said the response of the authorities has been "too little and lacking in focus" and called for the Government to take action.

Parliament's Health Committe has released its report on improving health outcomes for children and preventing child abuse. Its recommendations include that the Government develop a "co-ordinated cross-sectoral action plan with the objective of giving New Zealand world-leading, best-practice evidence-based sexuality and reproductive health education" alongside other measures to improve sexual and reproductive health.

Auckland HELP and Tu Wahine have published new research on the needs of young people affected by sexual abuse and assault.

The Families Commission have released a review of New Zealand and international evidence on relationship education programmes in schools.

Equal Opportunity Commissioner and former MP Jackie Blue wrote about the urgent need for the reinstatement of the National Sexual Violence Prevention Plan stopped in 2009, so there is a co-ordinated approach. She also wrote about the importance of changes in what we do as individuals, families and communities.

Update: Information gathered during the investigation in to the Roast Busters case is to be legally reviewed. Dectective Inspector Karyn Malthus said "This is a complex investigation and any decision relating to prosecution will not be taken lightly. We are, understandably, working closely with our legal team in this regard." The dedicated phone line 0800 Operation Clover remains open for anyone who would like to speak to the Police team.

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