Man who raped and strangled partner jailed
A woman raped and assaulted by her former partner has told a court she felt like a dog on a leash throughout their volatile relationship.
The young victim stood tall in the Palmerston North District Court on Tuesday and with emotion quietly read aloud her victim impact statement.
Her ex-partner Reiss Reiss, also known as Reiss Manahi, watched on from the dock as he appeared for sentence on charges including indecent assault, sexual violation, breaching a protection order and impeding her breathing.
The woman met Reiss when she was in her teens and they had a child together.
The court heard he attempted to control the woman, who she spoke to and what she wore, and she believed she could not function without him.
She told the court he treated her so inhumanely she felt like a “dog” on his leash.
She said the court process was traumatic and brought feelings of fear and anxiety to the surface.
The clothes she wore when they were together were a “disgusting reminder” of the hurt he caused.
“Seeing them causes me to break down ... it can change my whole atmosphere for a day or two.”
She was now working hard to change those thought patterns, and rid herself of the “voice in her head”.
“To show empathy and expression is a struggle ... I feel I have to watch what I say in case it doesn’t please Reiss.”
Her home used to be her safe place, but she now had “anxiety that was violently intense” if anyone rang the doorbell.
“I’m instantly horrified, sweating ... a sick, stomach-turning feeling, I freeze.
“I’m petrified until safety is made known.”
She said the incidents left her feeling shameful and vulnerable, and she struggled knowing her baby was also home at the time.
She no longer knew who Reiss was and said she wasn’t yet ready to confront the trauma she endured.
“I just can’t do it yet ... so every day it gets harder and harder to face.
“I’m scared I’ll never face it and that could kill me.”
Defence lawyer Fergus Steedman said Victim
Reiss had little understanding of the harm he caused when first arrested.
A section 27 cultural report revealed he was fostered from a young age and although he ended up with a loving family he struggled with abandonment.
Reiss was also sexually abused around the age of 12, and when he reconnected with his birth mother at 16 he was exposed to drugs and sexual behaviour.
He also had little contact with his birth father.
Steedman said Reiss once had an “inability to empathise or put himself in other people’s shoes”.
It was easy for defence lawyers to say their clients felt remorse, but he believed Reiss’s was now real and tangible.
“Reiss Reiss is no longer the person he was ... he’s begun to understand that his actions will always affect other people.”
A letter from Reiss’s foster mother said she too had noticed significant changes, particularly after he was able to get a diagnosis for his bi-polar. He was now taking medication and “instead of blaming everyone and everything for his situation, he expresses remorse and concern for his absence in his daughter’s life”.
Judge Bruce Northwood said it was important to hear how the offending impacted the victim, and he thanked her for reading her statement in court.
He also referred to pre-sentence reports that detailed Reiss’ upbringing when determining the most appropriate sentence.
Reiss ended up using meth after reconnecting with his mother, and had been on medication for ADHD, psychosis and depression.
He was forced into inappropriate behaviour at a young age, and plied with alcohol and cigarettes.
When speaking to one author, he broke down crying when asked about his offending, but he also downplayed the strangulation and described his relationship with the victim as unstable.
The author noted the information was mostly self-reported and he could not draw a direct link to the offending, but said the early experiences of abuse likely shaped Reiss’ understanding of what was considered appropriate behaviour.
For all of the offending, Northwood allowed modest discounts for Reiss’ background, guilty pleas and remorse, but sentenced him to six years and six months’ jail.
Sexual violence: where to get help
Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00, click link for local helplines.
Victim Support 0800 842 846. Safetalk text 4334, phone 0800 044 334 webchat safetotalk.nz or email support@ safetotalk.nz.
The Harbour Online support and information for people affected by sexual abuse.
“I’m scared I’ll never face it and that could kill me.”