Louise Nicholas the founder of The Louise Nicholas Trust and Debbs Murray the founder of ECLIPSE Family Violence Services would like to take the opportunity to issue a joint statement in relation to the current national crisis within New Zealand police due to the criminal, unacceptable and damaging behaviours of some of their members. Both Louise and Debbs founded services based on their lived experiences of sexual and family violence, and understand the need for collective raising of victims voices to highlight risk and to inform national change. Firstly, we would like to acknowledge the victim at the centre of this situation and recognise her courage in stepping forward to expose the behaviour and offending of Jevon McSkimming, and we sincerely hope that she is receiving the support required to begin a healing process through the validation of her experiences. We would also like to acknowledge the members of New Zealand police that did act in a timely manner to ensure that the appropriate personnel were advised so the required investigation could be undertaken. There are many victims in this situation, we have our victim at the centre of this, we have every serving members of New Zealand police who are facing the disgust and immeasurable disappointment in their own organisation and hierarchy. And we have New Zealand society as a whole who will all be navigating a very real loss of trust and confidence in New Zealand police. We are all asking, how could this have happened at the highest levels of New Zealand police? How could a cover up have occurred? Tragically and sadly, this is the reality of victimisation in New Zealand, it is everywhere, within every corner of society and we wish to give voice to that. There are people in high positions of responsibility and authority who misuse and abuse their very privileged positions. This is not only a police issue, but also an issue of power and inequity. Aotearoa, we now have an opportunity to take a stand, to have a voice, and what will that voice look like? Will it continue to give these few individual members of police more time in the spotlight, to feed anger and despair, or will you now raise your voice to centre this victims experiences, through holding New Zealand police to account for the changes they have stated they will make. This situation is very much like Louise Nicholas’ experiences of victimisation through the police many years ago. She stood in the power of her journey and adversity and fought for positive and measurable change that still reverberates through the ranks of New Zealand police, systems, processes, procedures and responses today, and that also informed change in other national organisations. With support of police, the power of lessons learnt has allowed her to move what many would have believed where immoveable mountains. We wish to again ignite and focus on discussions of change. Police have publicly committed to change, so let’s walk with them to achieve that change to ensure that the deficiencies that have occurred within this situation, and resulted in very real victimisation, are rectified and never able to reoccur through proactive change management. There is no question that what has occurred in this situation is reprehensible, and as a nation we are all having to navigate what this means for us all individually and collectively, but especially for all current victims of crime who may be wondering if they can trust the current system. This is a reminder to the public that it was individuals of the New Zealand Police that brought the organisation into disrepute NOT the New Zealand Police Force as a whole. For the likes of the Louise Nicholas Trust, a front facing service and training provider for victims of sexual violence, and ECLIPSE Family Violence Services, a national family and sexual violence training provider, we both strive every day to ensure victim voices are centred and heard, that organisational capability and the capability of those that work within these frameworks are appropriately informed and safe. Due to this crisis, we hold grave concern that victims of crime will no longer reach out for support, in their time of need. We would be devastated if it became a reality that victims in crisis and requiring police, do not call. So, we wish to ask society to remember that this is a fraction of a fraction of New Zealand police personnel that have caused this harm, that NZ police is made-up of 15,000 dedicated driven and committed human beings that go to work to truly make a difference in the lives of victims in and across Aotearoa, New Zealand. They go to work to support the likes of the victim at the centre of this offending. We have a choice now Aotearoa, we can be the calm, or we can be the crisis. Louise and Debbs want to be the calm, we want to recognise the victim, and the sharing of her story, and how it can now inform opportunity for growth and change within New Zealand police. Louise will tell you, that to condemn all within an organisation for the actions of a few is unjust, and Both Louise and Debbs genuinely believe that should this result in mass mistrust of all police, that this could result in further harm to victims through non reporting. So, we want to encourage all victims to still pick up the phone and call police when you need support. Aotearoa, you have the right to feel angry, to even feel outraged, and so you should, this wound will take time to heal, but please do not allow the actions of a few individuals stand in the way of victims safety. So, if you are at risk please call police, or if you are not in immediate risk and need to talk with someone, please connect with a local service provider via the links below, that has specialist knowledge, and can walk with you, and advocate for you with police to ensure that you do ever walk alone. As Debbs mentions in the last sentence of her book One Soul, One Survivor, “you cannot appreciate the beauty of the light, if you have not first walked in the darkness”. Aotearoa, this is a moment of darkness, but let it not overwhelm us to the point that it remains darkness, the light in this situation is the opportunity to place this behaviour solely at the feet of those responsible, and to seek the learnings and lessons from within to inform future safety. For crisis and offences please call: Police – 111 – Emergency Police 105 – Non Emergency - 105 Police Non-Emergency Online Reporting | New Zealand Police If in doubt, call 111 For a range of services and support for all communities, please go to: Louise Nicholas Trust – Get Support | Louise Nicholas Trust ECLIPSE Family Violence Services - Where to Get Help | ECLIPSE Womens Refuge – Women's Refuge | Keeping Women & Children Safe ACC – sensitive claims – Sensitive Claims Service