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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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The woman at the centre of last
week's knifepoint abduction and rape in Timaru said yesterday that the
offenders had shattered her dreams. Jane (not her real name because by
law she cannot be identified) spoke out because she wants the offenders and
their supporters to know what they have done to her and her children. She came to Timaru only a few
months ago to start a new life, but said her hopes were destroyed last Monday
when two men abducted her at knifepoint outside the Richard Pearse Tavern
about 11pm -- a night when friends had shouted her out to give her a break
from the kids and thank her for her support. "I just wish I hadn't gone now
at all. My friend only rang five minutes before we went. "We had a few beers and it
was a good night until then. I went outside for a smoke and they (the
rapists) drove up and ask for a lighter. I said sure. "Next thing there was a knife
in my back and I'm being told to get in the car. That was the polite version,
they were very foul what they said. "I had to lie face down on
the back seat. I was told to get in or else I'd get a knife in the back. All
I could see in front of me were my kids' faces." Jane said the next thing she knew
she was at Caroline Bay where she was raped. She said while the passenger in
the vehicle raped her, the driver of the car sat and watched. "I told them don't hurt me, I
have young kids. They told me they didn't give a f... about my kids; just do
what I was told or else. "I've had a pretty tough
background. I keep thinking I should have fought, kicked and punched and
screamed, but I was worried they would kill me and my kids wouldn't have a
mum." Jane has been in relationships
where she has been physically assaulted and said normally she got a punch or
two in herself. But she felt helpless at the hands
of the two men whom she said were drunk and reeked of rum. "I keep thinking why me? What
have I done that they need to hurt me? I can't sleep nights. It just keeps
going round in my mind. "I'm on sleeping pills but
they don't do any good. I keep wondering if they are still out there. Do they
know where I live? "The kids and I like Timaru.
I have six children altogether but they don't all live with me. One is with
nana and I'm sorting out custody of the others through the courts now. "I came to Timaru first with
my two youngest so we could find a nice house and get set up and then we
could all be together. "I can't stay here now. We
will stay in Timaru but I have to find a new house." Jane said even should her
attackers be caught, she would always fear what would happen on their
release. Would they come looking for her to get back at them for putting them
away? "I want to know they have
been caught. That would be good, but emotionally I don't think I will ever
get over it." Jane said her kids saw her crying
and came and cried with her. They did not know what happened and were too
young to understand. They would, though, when they saw
their mum crying, come over and cry with her saying "mummy's sad". Before the attack, Jane took her
children to the park or beach most weekends but now she never went anywhere
unless there were other people with her. "I hate the effect it has had
on us all. Everything has changed. We can't do anything we used to and it's
not fair on the kids. "I lied to them. I said the
beach and the park are closed." Jane said being taken back to the
scene of the crime had been traumatic and caused her to break down. Visiting
a friend whose house is near where she was attacked was also impossible. "I tell her I can't go there,
she will have to come and see me." Jane tries to cope with what has
happened by writing down what she is feeling, and begged anyone who knew
anything or knew the offenders to come forward and tell the police. She believes the attack was
planned. There had only been about a dozen people at the tavern that night,
but one woman had seen the car in the carpark earlier in the evening. "There was no one in it but I
wonder if they were just waiting for a chance. "I think they might have done
it before. I mean to have a knife and that and know where to take me; the
police think it was planned. "CIB told me they have had
the phones running red hot with information and there are a couple of names
to check out. They think the description is distinctive and they'll be able
to match him. They think they are from out of town. "Police are doing their job
and have been good, but I want them (the offenders) caught now." Jane also wanted to appeal to the
offenders to have a conscience and come forward, but she knew there was not
much hope of that. Her only chance was that someone
would come forward and finger the men. "Then I'd know they're not
out there doing what they did to me to someone else. I couldn't bear it. "It is pretty hard. I don't
know how I'm going to get through it. I'm so full of hate and anger." |
