Press Release:

Custody and Courts, not power and control the cause
of murders, says Family Counsellor & Counselling Outcomes Researcher

The tragic deaths of Tania Simpson, Paul Rogers, Anthony Way, and Kyla Rogers was less caused by ownership, power, and entitlement issues as claimed by Jill Proudfoot, spokesperson for the Domestic Violence charity Shine, but more because of a poorly managed custody and a court dispute that went so badly wrong”, says Steve Taylor, Director of 24-7 Ltd www.24-7.org.nz , a Counselling and Family Mediation Practice based in Greenlane, Auckland.

Mr Taylor is also the Convenor of the NZ Fathering Network www.nzfather.wordpress.com

The Officer in charge of the case, Acting Superintendent Tim Trezise has confirmed as such, stating “a dispute over the custody of the children was at the centre of the tragedy”.

“In her ideological and ultimately uninformed rejection of the distress, confusion, and psychological problems that fathers face when ripped from the lives of their children by Family Courts, Ms Proudfoot ignores the fact that 50% of the parenting equation legitimately involves a father”.

While it seems clear that the relationship between Ms Simpson and Mr Rogers had reached a negative peak, I find it remarkable that the couple were observed by a number of people to be happy together for some years prior to this event – I wonder what may have happened if the couple had received appropriate Counselling or Mediation support prior to or during the custody dispute? It seems evident that Mr Rogers loved his children – I wonder about what process Mr Rogers was submitted as a result of being involved in the Family Court process that led him to make the drastically destructive decisions that he did”.

I am aware of and have worked with a number of fathers who have had awful experiences in the NZ Family Court attempting to secure reasonable access to their children after a relationship break up.

I am also aware that Family Court Lawyers (in particular Counsel for Child) are permitted to submit reports to the Family Court, without having to check the veracity or accuracy of the report prior to submission. These reports are deemed confidential, meaning that a father is not even able to file an affidavit of reply, significantly undermining natural justice.

Justice Minister Simon Power has announced a formal Review of the Family Court in September 2011, and I am hopeful that the Minister will listen to the voices of fathers who have been alienated from their children, and left to feel powerless by a Family Court process that is deficient in both evidential process and measured outcomes – having another family blindsided by such a tragedy in New Zealand just doesn’t even bear thinking about”.

“What Mr Rogers did was both appalling and wrong – as a professional working with families in crisis, I just wonder if there was an opportunity for a more constructive intervention for the family rather than just spiriting the children away from their father, as the evidence to date is indicating that this was the decision that sent Mr Rogers over the edge - domestic violence agencies would also do well to read all of the evidence pertaining to relationship conflict, including the currently 275 international studies that show that males and females commit approximately 50% each of non-fatal domestic violence incidents” says Mr Taylor.

ends

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