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Allegations of Abuse
in NZ |
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Tea Ropati - League Star accused
of rape |
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=115&objectid=10490254 NZ Herald
Tea Ropati - leaving the Auckland
District Court yesterday with his brother and lawyer John (rear) and senior
counsel Gary Gotlieb - says he's just glad the legal action is finally over. The family of the woman who
brought sexual assault charges against league star Tea Ropati have spoken of
their concern the not-guilty verdict may deter women coming forward with
sexual abuse claims. Ropati was cleared of six sexual
violation charges by an Auckland District Court jury on Thursday. The woman's family, who cannot be
named for legal reasons, said they were astounded and devastated. "We fear for the ongoing
safety of women in New Zealand but strongly urge people to continue coming
forward if they have been a victim of sexual assault," they said. They were shocked by lawyer Gary
Gotlieb's accusation that police charged Ropati only to make a name for the
newly formed adult sexual abuse unit. "It is unfathomable for us to
comprehend ... that our family member, after going through such a difficult
trial, continues to be denigrated by the defence team. This is a sad and
unjust way in which to resolve what continues to be a very real and serious
problem in our society." Mr Gotlieb said last night that he
could have been harsher in his comments. "I think they could be in
self-denial of her role in the whole thing." The officer in charge of the case,
Detective Nicolas Poore, told the Herald this week that police knew the case
would be difficult to prove. In an interview with New Zealand
Woman's Weekly, the woman said she had no regrets on pursuing the case. "If this trial makes men
think twice about women who are drunk, if it makes one person put a drunk
woman in a taxi ... or even makes a woman think twice about getting drunk,
then the ordeal has been worth it," she said. Women's Refuge chief executive
Heather Henare said women were "absolutely" put off coming forward
with their complaints when cases came back not guilty. " It makes them ask, what's the
point ... why should we bother?" She said that after the Louise
Nicholas trials refuges were flooded with calls from people who said they
believed her, despite the verdicts. "If Louise Nicholas had given
up, all those other women wouldn't have come forward."
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Tea Ropati was back before a judge yesterday just one day after his
acquittal on sex charges. ·
Ropati admitted one charge of drink-driving when he appeared in the
Auckland District Court. ·
He recorded a breath-alcohol level of 821 micrograms - the legal limit
is 400mcg - when police stopped him on New Year's Day. ·
In court, defence lawyer Gary Gotlieb told the judge Ropati had
endured a tough period recently. ·
Mr Gotlieb said the drink-driving charge was the first Ropati had
received and he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. ·
He was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $620 and
$130 court costs. ·
Ropati told reporters he was just glad the court action was finally
over. The
woman's story appears exclusively in the latest issue of the New Zealand
Woman's Weekly. |
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