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A woman who had a sexual relationship with a schoolgirl she was counselling has been ordered to pay the teenager $35,000 in damages.
In a decision released by the Human Rights Review Tribunal, Janette Isaac was censured for the relationship, which began after the pair met on a professional basis in 2000, when the girl was 14.
The girl, referred to as "Miss B", claimed she had suffered sexual abuse when she was younger and her behaviour at high school included self-harm, drugs and violence towards others.
Her counselling sessions with Isaac began because of family difficulties and became frequent, turning into a sexual relationship in 2001 and 2002.
In April 2001 Miss B's mental state deteriorated to the point where she was admitted to hospital.
Concerns were raised by her therapist and mother about the relationship, but in October she moved in with Isaac and Isaac's female partner of 16 years, believing the two were nothing more than flatmates.
The sexual relationship between Isaac and Miss B began during a tramping trip involving all three.
In November 2002 Miss B tried to attack Isaac and then attempted suicide.
- NZPA
