Sex assault claims soar on back of #MeToo campaign
Rise means victims face long wait times for counselling and support services
The number of compensation claims for sexual assault has soared on the back of the #MeToo movement, with 25 New Zealanders a day seeking support.
The huge rise in sensitive claims to more than 9000 in 2018 — up from just over 4000 in 2013 or 11 a day — is believed to be driven by greater reporting of sexual abuse and more generous support rather than an increase in assaults.
It is putting pressure on counselling services, some of which have wait times of several months — a delay which one victim said could be the difference between life and death.
And despite a huge new spend on sexual violence services by the Government and a growing focus on prevention, ACC says demand is likely to keep rising for years.
“There has been no let-up in the public dialogue on sexual violence and harassment and its impact on people,” ACC chief customer officer Emma Powell told the Herald.
“We are seeing that it is safer and easier to talk about, and I am confident that is also leading to more people [being] willing to come forward.”
Powell said there was no plan to “turn off the tap” on funding for victims. But the rise in claims and compensation brought into sharper focus the true cost of sexual abuse in New Zealand. “The growing costs
I just thought if you don’t have that and you need to chat with someone, waiting months can be a life-and-death situation.
Bex Sloane
indicate a much greater challenge for the country around family and sexual violence. It is something that is sheeting home to every one of us, and I think it’s a great catalyst to say, ‘What are we going to do about it as a nation?’.”
ACC treatment costs for sexual assault jumped from $10 million in 2011 to $66m in 2018, and are on track to top $80m this year. The rise has been sharp since 2014 because of changes which allowed claimants to get up to 14 hours’ counselling for free, and more if they had their claim approved. Support has also been extended to victims’ families.
Increased focus on prevention is expected to lead to a short-term rise in claims as more New Zealanders confront their past experiences.
ACC is now working with 1600 treatment providers — double the number in 2014.
Wellington Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation director Conor Twyford, whose organisation has 200 clients, said the average wait for counselling was two months. Fifteen people were on the waiting list. “On the face of it, it’s not many people, but it is still people we would rather were seen straight away,” she said.
The Government’s $90m spend on sexual violence services over the next four years was mostly aimed at crisis support, rather than longterm counselling. But it would still be a huge boost for providers, Twyford said. “We’re really looking forward to seeing that money come through. It is a not insignificant amount for us.”
Bex Sloane, a sexual abuse survivor, said it was encouraging that more people were brave enough to seek help — as long as they could get it quickly.
The 29-year-old, who has waived automatic name suppression, said she needed urgent counselling after her abuser was jailed in 2015.
“They were all full. At that point in time . . . I was really not in a good place so I needed to talk to someone asap. They took a few months.
“I was lucky because I had an advocate and supportive people around me, but I just thought if you don’t have that and you need to chat with someone, waiting months can be a life-and-death situation.”
The process was still imperfect, she said. After she paused her counselling during her abuser’s trial, she later had to reapply for it — an intensive process which she said risked retraumatising victims.