Acknowledging state abuse in New Zealand
Dr Elizabeth Stanley asks, How can acknowledgement of state abuse be undertaken in a way that goes beyond lip service?
Description
The New Zealand Government recently established a Royal Commission of Inquiry to expose long-silenced experiences of sexual, physical and psychological abuse inflicted against children (and adults) in state care. Following her research with 105 New Zealand survivors, Elizabeth Stanley asks, How can this acknowledgement of state abuse be undertaken in a way that goes beyond lip service? In doing so, she draws upon her two decades of research on official responses to massive human rights violations. This unusual criminological journey—encompassing work with victims in South Africa, Chile and Timor-Leste—raises useful lessons for those who deal with state abuse in New Zealand.
For more information contact: Lauren Crozier