Five-strong abuse team helping victims get closure

TEAMWORK: The Adult Sexual Abuse team is Detective Sarah Bishop-Malcolm (left), Constable Stefanie Graham, Detective Sergeant John Wilson and Senior Constable Rob Hutchins. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

The nature of police work means no two days are the same, and for one team at the Rotorua police their days can feature some of the most harrowing stories ever to be told.

Investigation reports of Adult Sexual Abuse is the main focus for one of the Rotorua Police CIB groups. It's the role of Crime Squad 3, a five-strong team headed by Detective Sergeant John Wilson.

The stories they hear can range from rape by a person known to them, through to historic sexual offending from when they were a child.

There are offenders known to their victims but occasionally there will be a case when the offender is not known.

" Sexual abuse is extremely traumatic and can have lifelong effects and that's why we do take it so seriously," Mr Wilson said of their work.

"Every report is investigated thoroughly and to its natural conclusion and not every investigation ends in a prosecution. Sometimes that is dictated by the victim."

Victims will inevitably meet either Detective Sarah Bishop-Malcolm or Detective Chris Nairn. The pair are the two specially trained interviewers based at the Rotorua station.
Before the interview starts the whole process is explained, just so the person being interviewed knows how the process works and what they in turn can expect from police.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak to people who want to address what's happened to them," Mrs Bishop-Malcolm said.

"We're passionate about this kind of work.

"There's nothing they can tell us that will shock or offend us. I feel for those who have experienced sexual abuse and finally reaching a point where they take the brave step to do something about it. We can help them."

Regardless of when the abuse happened they will treat every victim the same and it's with the compassion and support, Mr Wilson said.

"We treat our victims how we'd expect a member of our own family to be treated," he said.
The process for investigating sexual abuse complaints has changed a lot, and for the better, in the time that he has been in the police. T the 2007 Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct, was a catalyst for changed and helped identify ways in which the Police could do things better.

He said every victim was guaranteed of being kept informed of every milestone in their investigation. And they could also be assured that no one outside of the investigation would know.

"There are a number of checks and balances in place to protect the identity of people who are victims," Mr Wilson said.

"They never get named. That's a concern that people have, that their reporting will somehow come back on them but the law provides for their anonymity.
"The information is locked away."

He couldn't say how many files are open at present, but they can interview between one and five victims a week.

• If you want to report sexual abuse call Rotorua police on (07) 348 0099 or go to the Rotorua Police Station.