Failure to halt gang rape astonishing

The lack of a complaint against a gang of young men stupefying and raping young women should not have stopped police acting, says Labour’s Women’s Affairs spokesperson Carol Beaumont.

“This is gang rape, full stop.

“The fact that police have known for two years that these revolting individuals have been posting their ‘exploits’ on Facebook, and have identified victims as young as 13 but took no action is astonishing.

“Our police pride themselves on being pro-active. Surely that could have extended to tracking these youths down and clearly signalling that what they are doing is not okay.

“It also raises broader questions around the way we treat rape victims.

“Why, for instance, has there been no action by the Minister of Justice, Judith Collins, to make the process of making a rape complaint and going through the Court process less traumatic for those who have been already violated?

“Ms Collins has received a proposal from the Law Commission about improving Court procedures for victims of sexual violence, yet has largely ignored it.

“And what is being done to change the culture that means teenage boys think that this sort of violent behaviour to young women is acceptable?

“Those providing services that seek to prevent sexual violence or to assist survivors of sexual violence continue to face funding constraints.

“There are at least three Government ministers who have a stake in this – Police Minister Anne Tolley, Ms Collins, and Minister of Women’s Affairs Jo Goodhew.

“In light of these ghastly revelations they need to ask some hard questions and then take some action.”

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