|
|
Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
|
|
|
|
It is nearly a year
since The Dominion Post first published the story of Louise Nicholas. Her allegations,
her name and her face are now familiar to many people, not because she
personally wanted the publicity -- she did not -- but because she wanted
justice, and felt all her previous attempts to find it had failed. Her claims that she was
raped at a Rotorua house nearly 20 years ago when she was a teenager, by
three men who were then serving police officers, were explosive. Immediately
after publication, The Dominion Post, like other media outlets, fielded an
avalanche of calls, including a few from women with similar claims involving
other police. Some of those women also went public. Plainly, not only police
investigations of individual cases were needed, but also a wider inquiry that
was beyond the resources, role or responsibility of the media to conduct. It had taken The
Dominion Post two years to investigate the Rotorua story before the newspaper
could publish it and be in a position to say, in an editorial on the same
day, "we believe Mrs Nicholas". In the clamour of reaction, the
Government stepped in, announcing that an independent inquiry would be
conducted which would include various aspects of police culture. The Government's
motives were right, but it soon became apparent the timing was wrong. The
police, who had announced their own inquiry into Mrs Nicholas' allegations,
had to be allowed to get on with the job, unfettered by the risk that a
public inquiry might hinder the careful investigative and legal processes
that needed to be followed. That has been going on
for a year, and it has been a long one, not only for Mrs Nicholas but, it
must be presumed, for the men she accused, and their families. All are now
waiting on a decision, believed imminent, on whether any charges might be
laid. In order for justice to be done, and be seen to be done, for Mrs
Nicholas and the men at the centre of the investigation, police inquiries
have had to be exhaustive. Though the waiting is long and difficult, it is
necessary. The commission of
inquiry is now on hold and will remain so tilltill after the decision has
been made on whether any charges might be laid and, if so, till all legal or
judicial processes have been conducted. No one knows yet whether that is a
short or long timeframe. What matters is that the conviction that was so
strong a year ago -- to find out whether aberrant and macho aspects of police
culture exist, and if so to acknowledge them and root them out -- must not
diminish over time. The year it has taken
for police to conduct their investigations must not be allowed to have eroded
the commitment of the Government, public and police to ensure that when the
commission of inquiry does occur, it is fully supported. The image and
credibility of police, and public confidence in them, suffered a setback a
year ago and is likely to again when the commission begins its hearings. The
police have no choice but to weather the difficult times, presuming that out
of the process, a better force will emerge. That would be in their own
interests, as well as the public's. And after nearly 18
years of going unheard, and another spent in the glare of publicity, it would
also mean Mrs Nicholas' long journey was not fruitless. |
