There has been a lot of publicity over the last few years about rape by New Zealand police. Yesterday more allegations were made, which you can read in this (rather badly formatted) post.
Some of those allegations shouldn’t surprise anyone – police officers were able to rape prostitutes with impunity when prostitution was illegal. It wouldn’t surprise me if the larger allegations are true (and they’re consistent with comments left at the end of this thread).
One of the statements in the article has been confirmed. A pornographic video, which included bestiality, was shown at the police commissioner’s house (the police commissioner is the top police officer in NZ). This is minor compared with the other allegations. But, to me, it shows a pattern of contempt for women, willingness to ignore laws around non-consensual sex when fellow officers broke them, and putting male bonding above all else (this was all to raise money for the police rugby team).
This raises the problem of what could possibly be done about a police force where police officers have regularly abused and exploited women.* If some police officers in the area regularly demanded sex from the local brothels, then it’s likely that other police officers in the area knew about it. No-one who stood by while that was going on should be in the police force any longer. Likewise, anyone who promoted Clint Rickards, knowing that a police report had found that he had abused his power, should not be in the police force. Who is left? Anyone who had stood up against violence and abuse wouldn’t have survived; anyone who didn’t should not have the power they do.
For me this shows one of the fundamental problem with the police. Abuse, including rape, appears to be an inevitable result of the sort of power we give police. I know people have different analyses about how much good the police do (I come down on the side of ‘none’). But even if you believe that the police do improve society, do you really believe that what happened to Louise Nicholas, Judith Garrett and countless other women is an acceptable side effect of that good?
* The police also have a history of racism, homophobia, and abusing their power left, right and centre.
Police are to protect and serve private property. Powerful post.
I’m adding this blog to my blogroll.
Great post, Maia. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts about how we can prevent police officers’ abuse of power. Would you suggest doing away with a police force altogether? Even if the police don’t do any ‘good,’ as you say, they do have a role in society that is important and needs to be done by somebody. I’m not justifying their behavior or disagreeing with you; I’m just genuinely curious about what you would propose as a solution.
Quite the leap from screening a beastiality video to alleging that police officers rape with impunity.
How, exactly, does showing a beastiality video show contempt for women?
What about the ring in Western Washington, where it seems most of the humans were men? Are you assuming that the humans in the video were women only? Based upon what I know about it, that is not an accurate assumption.
“I know people have different analyses about how much good the police do (I come down on the side of ‘none’).”
Obviously you have never lived in a nation without police. Who will apprehend law breakers? Try it. See what you think.
i would like to commend louise for her courage
my thoughts are with you and your family
yes i too am a victim to a sexual assault from which was caused by a police officer
whom was found guity on a number off charges but hey wheres the justice these types off incidents shouldnt happen in the first place,as far as im concerened the police should know better!!!!!!!!
They should, but there are those who don’t care. And they get permission to do what they do from those who think well, if we didn’t have police then there what would happen, many of whom refuse to believe that these crimes are committed by police officers until it happens to someone they know.
It’s very difficult to report them, because the women are often treated badly by the agencies which are investigating their own officers and the defense attorneys of the officers if charges are filed against them. Convictions are very rare, for different reasons ranging from lackluster prosecution to juries who have a difficult time believing police officers can do wrong and/or they believe if they convict the officers it puts them at risk in their jobs or makes it harder for the agencies to hire new officers. These opinions were expressed by jurors acquitting officers of criminal charges in several recent trials.
I’ve heard allegations of this form of criminal conduct in my own city each year, but the women or the other witnesses to these officers won’t come forward and file complaints for fear of nothing being done and/or retaliation.