NZ TV stations defend broadcast of sex-assault DVD

The decision to broadcast excerpts from an Australian DVD showing the violent assault of a teenage girl has been defended by TVNZ and TV3.

The channels aired footage filmed by up to 12 Australian youths as they assaulted, sexually violated and humiliated a girl in the Melbourne suburb of Werribee.

Victim Support chief executive Marie Knight said the decision could have "horrendous" consequences.

"It is appalling that they did not respect the privacy and dignity of the victim.

"The fact that she is in Australia is no defence. She will develop a sense of shame that the footage is out there."

The teenage filming of gratuitous violence was a worrying trend, said Ms Knight, and broadcasting it could result in copycat behaviour.

The head of Canterbury University's Journalism School, Jim Tully, said neither channel needed to broadcast the footage for viewers to grasp the dreadfulness of the situation.

TV3's director of news and current affairs, Mark Jennings, said the concept of the video was shocking but the channel took care that the victim could not be identified.