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The Press,
July 20 2000.
Public Notices
Are
you a victim of Sexual Abuse at the Christchurch Civic Creche in the 1980s?
Contact Brent Fraser 0800 455111 Confidential.
The Dominion
July 22, 2000.
Advert for abuse victims upsets former creche workers
by David McLoughlin
Former
Christchurch Civic Creche staff are critical
of Television New Zealand's 60 Minutes
programme for an anonymous newspaper advertisement asking for "victims
of sexual abuse" at the creche to come forward.
The advertisement, published yesterday and on Wednesday in the personal
columns of The Press, Christchurch,
does not reveal it was placed by TVNZ or the programme. It says: "Are
you a victim of sexual abuse at the Christchurch Civic Creche in the
1980s?", and to contact Brent Fraser on an 0800 number. Mr Fraser is a
producer for 60 Minutes.
Creche worker Peter Ellis was freed last February after being jailed in 1993
after a jury found him guilty on 16 counts of abusing children in his care.
He and his fellow women creche workers - four of whom were also charged but
discharged before trial - have always maintained their innocence. Former
chief justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum is inquiring into aspects of the case for
Justice Minister Phil Goff.
Former creche worker Jan Buckingham said yesterday she feared the creche
"nightmare" would begin again if "some disturbed teenagers
who've had problems with alcohol or drugs" imagined they'd been abused
at the creche and answered the advertisement.
She and her former women co-workers were already upset enough that they had
been refused permission to make submissions to Sir Thomas's inquiry, yet
families of the children who made the original complaint had been given
taxpayer funding to make submissions.
"We've all had enough, really. Just how far are [60 Minutes] going to go
making fresh allegations about things that didn't happen? What really gets me
is that the creche kids were normal, happy kids who were then totally screwed
up by all the counsellers and professionals who got hold of them."
Mr Fraser confirmed 60 Minutes was responsible for the advertisement but
declined to say if anyone had responded. "All I can say is 60 Minutes is
acting in response to new information in the creche case."
Peter Ellis said yesterday that he understood a 17-year-old who had been in
counselling had made claims of being abused years ago at the creche and that
this might be the basis of the 60 Minutes inquiry.
"Are they just going to keep wheeling out someone new every few years
and get me arrested again every time?" he asked.
"If I was charged again all I could say is that, yes, I was sometimes on
my own with children, and no, I didn't abuse any children. But look what
happened last time. I just don't know where I stand."
He was dismayed Mr Goff had not "put the whole thing to bed" by
ordering the wide-ranging inquiry into the case he had talked of in
opposition.
The Press
July 20 2000.
Public Notices
Are
you a victim of Sexual Abuse at the Christchurch Civic Creche in
the 1980s?
Contact Brent Fraser 0800 455111 Confidential.
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