The momentum with which pressure groups gained force in New Zealand at the turn of the twentyfirst century was in many ways a reflection of the growth of single issue women’s groups throughout the world from the 1970s (previously noted in the introduction). At that time, the strong sense of social cohesion and solidarity that had supported society throughout the postwar period was diminishing. This made the introduction of a multitude of women’s groups (see Grey, 2008) all the more significant to New Zealand, as individuals linked by a common identity – namely the victimisation and oppression of women in society – joined forces to push for social, cultural and political change (Sawer & Grey, 2008). One group in particular was Women’s Refuge, a service developed in 1971 to confront the issue of family violence (Rape Crisis Dunedin, n.d: Par. 1). By 1981, the ‘National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges Incorporated’ was established to further advance the cause (Rape Crisis Dunedin, n.d). Its voice was reflected in various legislative changes made in the 1980s, one of which was the Domestic Protection Act 1982,
established to protect victims of domestic violence (Rape Crisis Dunedin, n.d) 19 . Groups such as these were resisting, what were considered to be, the dominant societal structures to confront gendered power relations (Foucault, 1994). In making this challenge, the agencies hoped to bring about positive social and legal change that would see women (and certain groups of men) empowered. The sentencing and treatment of offenders, however, was still left to policymakers and experts.
Another significant development to take place within the victim’s movement in New Zealand was the inception of the Victims Task Force in 1987. This Task Force investigated the ‘most appropriate models which could be used to develop policy initiatives in the area of victim support’, whilst simultaneously working with other public agencies ‘in developing awareness of victims’ needs and how best to meet them’ (New Zealand Parliament, 1989: Par. 2). The Victims Task Force was able to oversee the treatment of victims in the criminal justice system and made recommendations to government as to how these should be enacted (New Zealand Victims Task Force, 1993). In 1989, then Minister of Justice Bill Jefferies outlined a number of task force recommendations, which included: the production of a video providing victims with information about the court process, the organisation of seminars to bring together groups working in victim support, the distribution of leaflets informing victims of the provisions in the upcoming Victims of Offences Act and the allocation of funding, together with the New Zealand Police, for the compilation of victim statistics (New Zealand Parliament, 1989). The Victims of Offences Act, implemented concurrently, was further used ‘to make better provision for the treatment of victims of criminal offences’ (New Zealand Victims Task Force, 1993: 99). The Victims of Offences Act 1987 introduced radical change into the criminal justice system,
looking back over a thousand years to reintroduce the victim of a crime as a person with a special interest in the pursuit of justice, and deserving special acknowledgement for the experience they have had forced upon them. (New Zealand Victims Task Force, 1993: 75) 19 Interestingly, Rape Crisis, the National Network for Stopping Violence and the National Collective of Women’s Refuges did not support the 1999 referendum because they stated that the question was too confusing to be valid (Milne, 2000)
The Victims Task Force believed that if all the provisions set out in the Victims of Offences Act were achieved, the quality of justice provided to all New Zealanders would be improved (New Zealand Victims Task Force, 1993). These steps signified the government’s attempt to include the victim in the criminal justice process, where they were to be better informed on criminal justice matters.
In 1986, another major development for victims’ groups in New Zealand was the establishment of the first Victim Support office in Gisborne by police officer Kevin Joblin (Victim Support (N.Z), 2006). Victim Support Schemes had been introduced in Britain in 1974 and were concerned above all else with the care and welfare of victims (Maguire & Corbett, 1987). The early British Victim Support’s primary objective was simple: ‘to act as a “good neighbour”, or perhaps “good Samaritan”, to people who had suffered at the hands of the thief or assailant’ (Maguire & Corbett, 1987: 2). The New Zealand model was largely based on the British example but had several other defining characteristics that illustrated the government’s commitment to victims: the services were based in local police stations, Victim Support was given full access to police records, and the New Zealand Police provided ‘full logistical support to their local Victim Support Group’ (Outtrim, 1999: 3). After the initial inception of Victim Support in Gisborne, several Victim Support services emerged offering voluntary services to victims. The ad hoc community based groups were established to provide professional support and assistance to all crime, accident and emergency victims and witnesses at large, as well as their relatives and friends (Victim Support (N.Z), 2003a).
In March 1993, the new National government announced the disestablishment of the Victims Task Force claiming that it had been introduced on a limited five year plan as part of the Labour government’s ‘radical’ Victims of Offences Act (New Zealand Parliament, 1993b: Par. 2). As a result, government funding, which had previously gone to this organisation, was transferred to various Victim Support groups around New Zealand, widening the scope of Victim Support (New Zealand Parliament, 1996b). Victim Support agencies were then able to offer a wider range of services to those in need and have since continued to assist victims of crime through counselling, court support, attendance at trials and parole board hearings (Victim
Support (N.Z), 2008a) 20 . But what sets Victim Support apart from contemporary victims’ rights advocates is the fact that they are not only focused on crime victims, they also offer continuing support for those suffering trauma from disasters and other life crises (Victim Support (N.Z), 2003b, 2008a). Victim Support has remained a
generic victim support agency, and, with the support of the New Zealand Police,
continues to offer advice and support to victims of crime and trauma. The organisation operates on a nonpolitical, noncampaigning platform, and because of this, has kept a relatively low public profile. In this respect they stand separated from the subsequent law and order pressure group Sensible Sentencing Trust that advocates, in a much more public manner, not only victims’ rights but also the punishment of offenders.