We Take Away Your Recovery But Give You Money To Buy New Knickers

The government plans to introduce new legislation in November that enables victims to access financial support through a scheme financed by the offender levy. Although Victim Support, Sensible Sentencing Trust, and Rethinking Crime and Punishment welcome the initiative, service providers for sexual abuse recovery are dumbfounded by yet another absurd policy recently presented.

“Another piece-meal of legislation poorly thought through. Full of good intentions but lacking the guts to resolve a problem comprehensively”.

Victims of sexual crimes will be eligible for a grant of $250 to replace items of clothing after a sexual assault. An insulting and bizarre idea considering that ACC will stop funding sexual abuse counselling for these victims unless the assault has driven them over the edge and into mental illness. 

Victims will be able to buy themselves a new set of underwear and some other garments but won’t get help for dealing with the emotional and psychological scarring they have suffered, unless they are willing to risk being discriminated for the rest of their lives when getting a mortgage, taking out a life insurance policy, or applying for a job.

It shouldn’t be necessary to prove having a mental illness before being eligible to access to recovery services. People don’t have to prove cancer before they get to see a GP. More so given that making a mental illness diagnosis is not an exact science and research has shown a high disagreement between different diagnosing clinicians. Also, these assessments can be inadequate and misleading because often survivors need several meetings before they feel safe enough to fully disclosure the extent of the abuse.

What kind of bureaucrats and politicians take away from survivors of sexual abuse the hope of recovery and the opportunity to meet their full potential? How can they convince themselves that they have done their citizen duty by palming victims of with a ridiculous clothing grant?"

Look no further! You’ll find them in the current New Zealand government!