What will be the political response to Roast Buster rape culture this election?

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The manner in which the roast buster rape club has managed to sink beneath the news surface is disturbing. For a rare moment, the terrible violent civil war of rape and sexual abuse was upfront in our consciousness like never before. The yawning chasm of tens of thousands of historical rapes never seeing the light of justice demanded answers after teen boys boasting their abuse on social media managed to get away scot free.

Rape culture was being talked about and those blind to it were startled by the righteous anger voiced by many.

The fact one of the gang was the son of a cop compounded a sense that the Police didn’t take this seriously and their  consistent blunders and arse covering were quickly exposed when it turned out that the stock standard ‘we can’t progress without a complaint’ was a lie.

All that exposed pain and injustice demands a political response and in an election year it would be disgraceful of citizens in light of what we found out about ourselves during the roast buster coverage to not take every opportunity to oblige candidates and politicians to answer what they intend to do to fight rape culture if they are successful at the ballot box.

Solutions range from better sex education, less sexist images of women in mass media, men talking seriously to their sons about consent and laws that would make it easier to testify in sexual crime cases and make known the past crimes of serious offenders to current partners.

I am no expert on rape culture and there are many wiser voices who should lead the debate and many feminist voices that rightfully need to be directing the solutions, but in my mind, before we work out what needs to be done for the future, at the very, very least we should commit every politician, regardless of party or idealogical shade, we must commit them all in this election to agreeing that at the very least as a country in response to the roast buster scandal, that we fully fund Women’s Refuge and Rape Crisis centres.

Women’s Refuge and Rape Crisis centres are always under funded. While we should have a necessary national debate about sexual violence, let us provide the immediate resources to those services dealing with the reality of the problem right now on the front line.

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Confronting every candidate and asking them: “In the wake of the roast buster rape scandal will you pledge to fully fund Women’s Refuge and Rape Crisis centres”, will force the issue onto the political agenda.

Collate a list of those candidates and MPs willing to pledge to fully fund those services and hold them to their pledge.

This election, we should ask those who want to lead how they will lead on the important social issues we never manage to get onto the agenda because there’s always some other lame manufactured salacious political story eclipsing it.

 

10 COMMENTS

  1. The reason this has sunk below the waves is that — there is nothing that can or will be done about it. There wont be any charges laid because – well there are lots of reasons. The girls wont give evidence because in most cases they knew exactly what was going on, the males were underage (some of them anyway and the last labour govt wanted to make underage sex between young people a non- criminal act) and the biggest problem – no physical evidence. And whatever is on the roast busters website means nothing – one cannot give evidence against oneself. Fortunately our justice system hasnt yet sunk to a the level of an african country where witchcraft rules and rumours are enough to get one lynched. One must have evidence.

    Women’s Refuge and Rape Crisis centres are a waste of time because they believe that its all the males fault and no matter what – anything a female says must be taken as truth. And most important here – my wife opinion is that the girls are as guilty as the boys. Get drunk and wear provocative clothing and what do you expect is what she says. And I suspect most women across NZ think exactly the same.

    So – dont hold your breath waiting for the new police commissioner to announce anything about this matter – because you will be terribly disappointed.

    • Thank you Barry for outlining an attitude which is sadly all too prevalent in our society.

      This is why nothing will be done about it. Disgusting and stupid attitudes like yours hold sway.

      • Lara – its all about evidence. Forget my attitude – that has nothing to do with the police laying charges.

        The reason I am so sure that nothing will ever happen is that if the police had evidence they would have gone puiblic as soon as they could.

        The only alternate is to take the approach they did at the salem witch trials where some 19 innocent people were hung based on rumour and made up stories. I know which system I like.

        If you want to make a point – make it to the woman in charge of this investigation – Detective Inspector Karyn Malthus.

    • Not good enough.

      No action presumes that the police protecting their own has shut down the investigation. That would mean the cop with the roast buster boy would have to be sacked, and probably his superiors and the police commissioner too.

      It can wait till September if the outgoing minister is determined to set the precedent of licensing hot and cold running rape throughout the country.

    • Your understanding of the law is as bad as your wife’s taste in men. Generations of judges will be shocked to learn that all confessions are invalid. You have advanced neuroscience immensely with your discovery that teenage girls who are unconscious from overindulgence in alcohol and/or drugs still know exactly what’s going on and are fully capable of giving consent. Anyone studying legislation will be happy to learn that laws change because some previous government thought about changing them, even if they never passed through parliament. Wow, just wow.

    • I think the Roast Busters are Hot Roast Potatoes for the police and the politicans, neither have handled the situation particularly well in the eyes of Joe Public.

  2. So no need to ask ….. its National all the way for you then barry

    I’m surprised you didn’t call for the reinstatement of former top cop clint rickards ……

    • Last election I voted NZ first. Cant remember the time before that.

      I wont be voting national this election. They have wasted every opportunity to make changes to NZ.

      Following the Chch earthquake they missed the opportunity to set up a NZ owned insurance company (The state insurace company was set up after the napier quake in 1931 and servec NZ well for many years). NZ taxpayers are paying for CHCH rebuild so why not take the chance to set up a NZ company.

      They missed the opportunity to reform safety rules following the mine fire.

      They have refused to lead regulations regarding alcohol consumption and left it to the local councils – but have given them no teeth.

      They have done the same with so called legal highs.

      Its the governments job to lead – these guys arent leading so there is no way i could vote for them.

  3. @ Barry: “And most important here – my wife opinion is that the girls are as guilty as the boys. Get drunk and wear provocative clothing and what do you expect is what she says. And I suspect most women across NZ think exactly the same.”

    So here we have anecdote masquerading as evidence. Your wife’s opinion – assuming, of course, that it is indeed her opinion, and not something she said just to please you – isn’t at all representative of what most women think.

    Anyone who takes even half-pie notice of cases going through the courts will have seen that rape victims can range from little girls and boys right through to old ladies. What was that about provocative clothing and getting drunk again?

    The issue in the so-called “roast busters” case was consent: both the age at which consent can be given, and the influence of drink or drugs impairing the ability to give consent. The way this case has been handled says a great deal about the police’s attitudes, none of it flattering.

    The same can be said about your comments.

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