NZ Herald
February 5, 2004
Opening doors of a closed culture
by Renee Kiriona
The search for
truth is on but putting the police force under the microscope will be very
difficult.
Inquiries, which include looking at allegations by Louise Nicholas that she was
gang raped in 1986 by three police officers, have begun.
And according to some retired officers, rape crisis experts and academics those
heading the inquiries are likely to face difficulties.
"In the police there's a culture of solidarity and loyalty. In this
inquiry their code will be put to the test," Mr Stenning
said.
"If there is any kind of resistance from senior staff then there will most
likely be problems. The ability of this inquiry will depend on the attitude of
those staff members."
One advantage though, he said, was that the inquiries did not have to start
afresh and there was a paper trial the new investigators could go back to.
Police Commissioner Rob Robinson agreed.
"I think it is reasonable to accept that in any criminal inquiry the
passage of time does cause greater difficulty in determining all the facts.
"But that is not necessarily a significant impediment of all cases,"
Mr Robinson said.
Retired Detective Superintendent Peter Ward, of
"Any historic inquiry would be difficult whether it happened 18 or five
years ago," Mr Ward said.
"There's also the aspect of trial by media which could prejudice the
chances of [stood down
Mr Ward also believed the "I can't remember" line should not be used
as an excuse by anyone involved as the case was last investigated only five to
six years ago.
Sheryl Maung, of Rape Crises, envisaged a lack of
understanding about rape and its effects on victims as being a challenge for
the inquiries.
"It's not uncommon for people to not disclose that they have been raped
until years later because of fear of not being believed and having to deal with
the emotional and psychological effects from having been assaulted," she
said.
"As a result of being raped many survivors suffer post traumatic stress
like loss of memory and may seem dissociative.
"Sometimes in reporting and in court proceedings this can be viewed as the
victim not being credible when really it is the effects of what they've been
through."
Rape, murder and assault charges can be laid years after the event because they
are so serious.
A senior
"You can't take refuge in the simple passage of time ... you wouldn't want
people committing serious crimes getting away with it after a certain amount of
time."