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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse |
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A spate of false rape complaints
over the last two weeks is worrying New Plymouth police. But women who have genuine
complaints of sexual assault are urged to come forward, says CIB chief
Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward. In the past 15 days, six alleged
sex attacks have been reported to police, he says. "We've charged one man, but
in the other five, we are struggling to believe the victim." During one of the six
investigations, police arrested a 47-year-old woman and charged her with
making a false complaint. In another, a 16-year-old girl has
been referred to Youth Aid. The three other assault cases
involved ongoing inquiries, "but there appear to be discrepancies in the
victims' accounts", Mr Coward said. "We do not want to stop
victims making legitimate complaints, but they have to realise their account
will be thoroughly investigated," he said. Mr Coward says New Plymouth police
have a highly experienced sexual abuse investigation team, which is always
prepared to investigate a complaint. "We will then take the matter
to court, then it becomes a matter for the jury," he said. "But we don't want to spend
hours on a complaint we can't take seriously." In genuine cases, a specialist
team ensured complainants were given full support. And, if the victim asked for
counselling, police could refer them to experienced counsellors at New
Plymouth's Safer service. In other recent false complaints
in New Zealand, a woman jogger said in May she had been attacked at a
Christchurch park. But after 2000 hours of
investigation, police have alleged she lied. They say the attack never happened
and that her injuries were self-inflicted. In Auckland, a woman who said she
had been abducted by a man in her car which was then set ablaze in Lovers'
Lane, was last week charged with making a false complaint. Mr Coward says those who made
false allegations made it harder for those who followed who were telling the
truth. A Victoria University
criminologist, Jan Jordan, said last month that such false complaints were
often a cry for help, because of boredom, or for fun.
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