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Stop the Suppression!
09/07/14
Launching this week, Sensible Sentencing’s Stop the Suppression campaign is asking New Zealanders to get in behind a campaign to overhaul the name suppression laws in NZ.

“Sadly all too often child sex offenders prey on unsuspecting victims because they have previously been granted name suppression”, says Ruth Money, Campaign Spokesperson. “The current law needs to be revised to ensure these offenders can no longer hide behind suppression that is granted to protect the victims of their crimes, not the offender”.

“We are encouraging media to stop reporting the relationship between the offender and the victim. This would then allow the offender to be named and the public to be aware and therefore more protected. No one needs to know a sex offender assaulted his niece for example, we just need to know his name so we can ensure he doesn’t end up harming our kids in the future” states Money.

“In New Zealand, on average, 30 convicted child sex offenders are granted final name suppression each year. Where these men and women now live or work is a complete mystery – we believe this is a public risk. Would you want them coaching your kids or running a motel for example?”

“The fact is a paedophile is a paedophile for life. It is all about whether he or she can control their urges. Evidence teaches us that being named for a child abuse offence is a deterrent and by NZ having a system where child sex offenders are not named, places their sexual urges in an environment that has no boundaries, other than their own morals. This is both mistaken and dangerous” states Money.

Outspoken justice campaigner Derryn Hinch is visiting from Australia this week to assist with the campaign launch and will be encouraging kiwis to sign the Stop The Suppression Petition:

http://www.protectthatchildproject.co.nz/stop-the-suppression-petition/

Stop the Suppression is just one of 11 election year proposals from the Trust. For more details see:

http://www.protectthatchildproject.co.nz

ENDS

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