‘Disturbing’ rise in sex crimes in New Zealand partly blamed on earthquakes

April 2, 2012 – NEW ZEALAND – Canterbury police are lauding a drop in most types of offending in the past year, but sexual violence is on the rise. The number of sexual assault and related offences reported to Canterbury police increased by 16.4 per cent last year, from 318 offences in 2010 to 370 in 2011. Sexual-violence offending also rose nationally, with 3466 offences reported across the country, an increase of 14.9 per cent on the previous year. Canterbury district commander Superintendent Gary Knowles said the increase was “disturbing” and did not match other types of offending, which had all decreased in 2011. Much of the increase could be because more people were reporting this type of crime. “The more people come forward the better,’ he said. Knowles had put staff on the job of analyzing the figures, particularly the “why, where and how” of sexual violence. More police were also being put on frontline duties, which he hoped would help reduce offending. Te Puna Oranga manager Tania Mataki, who works with victims of sexual abuse and their families, said sexual violence appeared to have increased after the Canterbury earthquakes. “We’ve seen a lot of changes in people’s behaviors – a lot more drinking, a lot more drug abuse, access to [pornography on] the internet. Wherever alcohol is involved there are behaviors that will escalate,’ she said. Usually sexual offending was committed by someone known to the victim and many people since the quakes had been forced to share accommodation or resources. Some of the cases were historical, but some related to offences committed after the February 22, 2011, earthquake, when many families left their damaged homes and moved in with others, or had others move in with them, Mataki said. –Stuff.nz