Out in force

01.05.06 Dominion Post

A group of Louise Nicholas supporters stopped traffic in a march through Auckland to mark the start of Rape Awareness Week.
Hundreds of people walked up Queen St to Aotea Square yesterday, many carrying "We believe Louise Nicholas" signs.
Last month, Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards and former policemen Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton were acquitted of raping and sexually assaulting Mrs Nicholas in Rotorua 20 years ago.
Though she was not at the march, a letter from Mrs Nicholas was read to the crowd, thanking the march organisers "from the bottom of (her) heart".
Organiser Helen Wiseman-Dare said people were very unhappy with the verdicts in the case.
Mr Schollum's lawyer, Paul Mabey, laid a complaint with the solicitor-general over leaflets that were handed out in Wellington breaching suppression orders relating to the trial. A decision over whether to prosecute those responsible has yet to be made.

More of the same ?

Trial for former policeman on sex charges
24.04.06 NZ Herald

A former police officer extradited from Australia on historic rape and sexual abuse charges was today sent for trial in the High Court.

The man, whose name is suppressed, faces allegations from two girls, then aged between 12 and 16, comprising four counts of indecent assault and one of rape, all in Rotorua in 1980.

In the High Court at Wellington today, Justice Ronald Young remanded the man for trial from June 26 with pre-trial matters to be considered before then.

Bail was today continued, but Justice Young was to make a decision on its conditions later this week.

The man had over two decades of service in the New Zealand police.

"Battle lost but we will win the war"

Louise Nicholas wrote to her supporters:

"once the shock and tears abated anger set in and from there it ignited the fire to fight for a fairer justice system for all victims and survivors of sexual abuse and rape. I now know that a battle was lost but we will win the war!!!"

from Indymedia

Couldn't have expressed it better myself

Te hia nei, te kai te manawa oo teeraa pookokohua, hamuti, aia kai te panapana!!! Ruuruu te upoko nei ki te ripa ki te ripa.
Kia heke mai te toto i ngaa paapaaringa!!!
Tiikape te para ki te kuri.
POOKOKOHUA!!!

Translation:

"This desire,
is to eat the beating heart of that low life cursed one,
that human excrement,
shaking the head from side to side,
allowing the blood to descend down the cheeks,
throwing aside the leftovers/scraps to the dog."

From Indymedia

Louise Nicholas March

NOT ABOVE THE LAW - We Support Louise Nicholas MARCH, Sunday 30 April, 2.00 pm
Assemble Queen Elizabeth Square, Auckland (near Britomart)
March up Queen St to Aotea Square
Hear speakers from Rape Crisis, Auckland Sexual Abuse Help Foundation and others
Bring your friends, banners and placards

Would you buy a used car from this man?

Bent cops: Police officer’s job reference prompts questions

History Lessons

16 Year Old Rape Nightmare 23.6.05

"I am reliving this event as I sit here," a woman who alleges she was pack-raped at Mt Maunganui 16 years ago told the High Court at Wellington yesterday.
"You have no idea what I am going through right now. I feel like I am back there."

Premeditated
Men jailed for Mt Maunganui pack rape 5.8.05

The judge said that aggravating features were that the rape was premeditated and the victim was restrained. "Maximum penalties were for serious gang rapes, a category which this case falls into."

Life never the same for pack rape victim 5.8.05

"My life has never been the same," the victim of a pack rape at Mt Maunganui 16 years ago told the High Court at Wellington today.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely

Sexual assault always involves the misuse of power.

Appeal

Mt Maunganui pack rape appeals to be heard today 07.02.06

Both unnamed men were acquitted of sexually violating the woman with an object, details of which are suppressed.

Name suppression lifted 25.11.04

Name suppression has been lifted from a high profile businessman and former Tauranga city councillor charged with illegal posession of a pistol.

Living in Fear

Pack rape victim tells of lost life 6.8.05

The victim of a pack rape in Mt Maunganui 16 years ago says she was left a shell of her former self and still grieves for the normal life she lost.
Fear of retribution had led her to live within a cocoon, not daring to open accounts in her own name. "I have lived without an identity," she said.

Mt Maunganui Case

'I have never had to rape any woman,' accused tells court 28.06.05

Who has HAD to rape a woman?

Animals would not do this

Rape victim speaks of impact

A life destroyed

"It was a pack rape in the worst sense. She was, in her words, treated by you like a piece of meat," the judge said.

More Details

Click here for complete details of Mt Maunganui pack rape trial.

Read what they're saying:
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