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I have read with interest reports
about the biased policy practised by Air New Zealand and Qantas regarding
sitting unaccompanied children next to males on flights. Children's Commissioner Cindy
Kiro's endorsement of this practice indicates that she does not have a true
picture or understanding of who the abusers of children really are. Some time ago, I was employed in
the ACC's Sensitive Claims Unit. It dealt with claims for sexual abuse. Children are not abused only by
men. There were many cases where the perpetrator of sexual and physical abuse
was a woman. As for the airlines, what about
the age of the person allowed to sit next to the unaccompanied child? Sexual
abusers can be as young as seven. Many sexual abusers are teenagers. Should Air New Zealand and Qantas,
therefore, change their seating policy and now treat men and women, young and
old, equally to stop children sitting next to anyone? |
