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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse in NZ |
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A deaf woman was unable
to tell anyone about years of sexual abuse by her uncle and father till she
learned sign language, a jury has heard. Wellington District
Court jurors heard yesterday that the woman, whose name is suppressed, has
been deaf from birth and would give evidence via interpreters. Her father has pleaded
not guilty to seven charges of indecent assault ranging from when his
daughter was under 12 to when she was a married woman between 1972 to 2000. Her uncle has pleaded
not guilty to rape by sexual violation, doing an indecent act and indecent
assault. Crown prosecutor Kate
Feltham said the complainant had a degree of mental impairment. She struggled
to lip-read throughout most of her life but, when she was an adult, began to
learn sign language. Ms Feltham said the
woman disclosed the sexual abuse to her teacher once she could communicate
effectively. The woman said her
father touched her and forced her to touch him. The prosecutor said her
uncle lived with the family in the mid- 1980s. He raped her on the
floor of the bathroom and made her pose naked for photographs. The pictures
were discovered later and he was asked to leave the house. Ms Feltham said the
complainant did not tell anyone because she was frightened and unable to
communicate properly. When the father was
spoken to he said the woman's mother had put her up to it. The uncle declined
to make any statement. The trial, before Judge
Bruce Davidson, is expected to take several days. |
