Wairarapa joins stand against rape culture

SOLIDARITY: Protesters stand for 10 minutes in silence in Masterton's town square as part of the National Day of Action Against Rape Culture.

Wairarapa protesters were among thousands across the country who turned out on Saturday in synchronised protests to show their condemnation of rape culture in New Zealand.

About 30 people - a third of them men - brought placards and stood for 10 minutes in silence in Masterton's town square for the National Day of Action Against Rape Culture, while drivers along Chapel St tooted their support.

Priyanca Radhakrishnan of Carterton addressed the group, calling for a better support system for survivors of sexual violence.

"Rape culture surrounds us in movies, in news articles, in social media.

"If you call someone a slut because of the way they dress, you are perpetuating rape culture.

"This is a society where you tell a victim of sexual abuse she could have crossed her legs."

She said in the last couple of weeks, New Zealand has heard the voices of police and politicians, but not the voices of survivors.

"That's rape culture - fear of the stigma."

She said rape culture serves to silence the survivors and allows perpetrators to walk away.

"Each one of us can play a part.

"It could be by stopping someone from telling a sexist joke.

"It could be making a complaint when you see a newspaper article."

Masterton mayor Lyn Patterson stood with a placard with the protesters.

She said it was an indictment on society that these messages needed to be pushed in 2013.

"We're still having to meet and do this - how far have we progressed?"

She said what upset her the most was the age of some of the Roast Buster victims.

"And the victim-blaming in some of the mainstream media.

"I'm really saddened by it."