With its use criticised in cases like Grace Millane’s, criminology lecturer Dr Samantha Keene outlines the many reasons why the ‘rough sex’ defence is so problematic. Internationally, concerns are being raised about the increasing use of the “rough sex gone wrong” claim in courtroom defences to murder. Campaigners at We Can’t Consent To This point … Read more
It is hard to remember a year in which New Zealand was so repeatedly in global headlines, writes Kamahl Santamaria, a Kiwi journalist based in Doha. Time zones are a strange thing. You go to sleep, and then for eight hours or so, you miss out on everything happening on the other side of the … Read more
A woman who went on a Tinder date with the man who murdered Grace Millane tells her story, and issues a warning to other women to trust their instincts when something doesn’t feel right. First published on Newshub.co.nz I went on a date with Grace Millane’s killer while her body lay in his apartment. Yes, … Read more
Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden and Michèle A’Court tackle the past month in women, with thanks to our friends at The Women’s Bookshop. As Christmas breathes down our necks and summer threatens us with bikini waxing, it’s time to have a bit of a rage. November was a rough month for women in New Zealand. The Grace … Read more
Books editor Catherine Woulfe on the much-anticipated first thriller by New Zealander and New York Times bestseller, Nalini Singh. I finished A Madness of Sunshine five days ago. At first I was furious, then disappointed and deeply sad. It’s still eating me up more than any Christmas-release “compulsive thriller” should. The cultural moment no doubt … Read more
The ‘rough sex gone wrong’ defence is on the rise in the UK – and, alarmingly, it sometimes works, writes Louse Perry of the We Can’t Consent To This campaign, which documents such cases Millions of people around the world now know the most intimate details about Grace Millane’s life and death, but we still … Read more
At the Auckland High Court, I watched a trial unfolding as a crucible of modern gender and sexual politics under the spotlight of unprecedented media coverage, writes Nicola Gavey. See also: Defending the indefensible: On the Grace Millane trial and victim blaming Justice for Grace Millane. Now let’s now change how we talk about blame … Read more
The evidence about Grace Millane’s past put forward by the defence team was not only directly relevant, but treated carefully and with respect, argues Khylee Quince, associate professor in the School of Law at AUT. When Oscar Wilde referred to the practice of law as “vulgar” he was likely thinking of the contest that is … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Grappling with the aftermath of the Grace Millane murder trial, prisoner voting restoration proves controversial, and red meat prices way up. News broke on Friday afternoon that the man charged with murdering Grace Millane had been found guilty. He is now awaiting sentencing, and continues to … Read more
Since the death of of Grace Millane, a visitor to New Zealand, last year, countless emotions have been stirred. The trial of recent weeks will have returned those to the surface. In this post, updated from an earlier version published in December, we offer some suggestions on how to channel the sadness, hurt and anger. … Read more
A jury at the Auckland High Court has this evening unanimously agreed a guilty verdict against the 27-year-old charged with the murder of Grace Millane. He is remanded in custody until sentencing on February 21 next year. The decision brings justice for Grace’s family. But in the course of the trial, and the laying out … Read more
The trial of the man accused of Grace Millane’s murder is unlike any other in New Zealand history, recounted in micro-beats, each one tweeted and push-notified. Anna Connell asks what it’s doing to justice. It was a story that horrified New Zealand. In December last year, the news of the death of Grace Millane, a … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Massive day of trade developments for NZ’s relationship with Asia, Bill Cashmore retains top Auckland jobs, and trial of man accused of killing Grace Millane begins. The government has secured a breakthrough on trade with China, but not everyone will be entirely happy with it. Interest reports … Read more
The trial of the man accused of murdering British backpacker Grace Millane began today in the Auckland High Court today. What’s the latest? A jury was sworn in today at the Auckland High Court as the trial of the 27-year-old man accused of the murder of Grace Millane, the British backpacker who died while visiting … Read more
The online giant has written to the NZ minister of justice, Andrew Little, saying it will immediately suspend the automated service that breached a court order In December 2018, when the Spinoff broke the news that Google had breached a New Zealand court suppression order in the case of Grace Millane, the internet giant’s first … Read more
New Zealand’s minister of justice responds to the decision by the internet giant to take no action after its breach of name suppression in the Grace Millane case Google’s attitude to fair trial rights in New Zealand should concern us all. It’s time to call out their recklessness. To recap what happened, last year at … Read more
In a ferocious opinion piece for the Spinoff, the minister of justice says he would be ‘failing in my duty’ if he were to allow the internet giant to ‘ride roughshod’ over New Zealand law. The New Zealand minister of justice has promised that there will be consequences for Google after the US-based company informed … Read more
Listen to Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden and Michèle A’Court tackle the past YEAR in women, news and popular culture, with thanks to our friends at The Women’s Bookshop. We made it everyone! It’s last episode of On the Rag for the year, and we are more than ready to say goodbye to 2018. But first, we … Read more
The justice minister says he’s cautiously satisfied by assurances from the internet giant after they sent representatives to his parliamentary office yesterday in the wake of Spinoff revelations When the Spinoff broke the news last week that Google had sent out an email naming the man accused of killing backpacker Grace Millane, in breach of … Read more
They may denounce violence, but the attitude of many young New Zealand men towards women remains toxic, says Dr Christina Vogels. Over the past two weeks a number of narratives have threaded their way through the conversation about the Grace Millane tragedy. The primary one has been disgust and anguish that a young woman on … Read more
In the wake of the death of Grace Millane, violence against women has prompted the usual round of complaints that not all men are violent. Shut it down, says Sophie Bateman for Newshub. In this unpredictable, ever-changing world, a few things remain absolutely dependable. The sun will rise every morning. Babies will be born. Aucklanders … Read more
What does it mean to step out into the world on your own as a young woman? Three days after my 21st birthday, I jumped on a plane and went to Europe. I spent five months in London studying for a semester at UCL, and then another five months traversing much of the continent. Other … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: British PM a few hours away from vote on her future, government quietly debating compensation for coastal property owners, and Google makes Millane case blunder. UPDATE – 10.02am NZT: Theresa May has won the vote of no-confidence against her, by a margin of 200-117. The word ‘omnishambles’ … Read more
That one of the world’s biggest companies rides roughshod over a New Zealand court name suppression tells you all you need to know about the giants of Silicon Valley, argues Toby Manhire. Imagine if a media company told you the name of the man accused of killing Grace Millane. Imagine if, in defiance of a … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Man appears in court charged with murder of British backpacker Grace Millane, little progress made on child poverty, and National responds to UN pact critics. A 26 year old man has appeared in court, charged with the murder of 22 year old British backpacker Grace Millane. The … Read more
The shameful culture of violence against women in New Zealand must urgently change, writes Women’s Rights Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo. Grace Millane’s death is an absolute tragedy. While the details of the case are still emerging, our hearts rightly ache that we couldn’t protect Grace, a visitor to our country. Grace’s death also reminds … Read more
Many of us, especially young women, have been experiencing dark thoughts and emotions in the aftermath of Grace Millane’s death. It’s called vicarious trauma, writes 20-year-old Waveney Russ, and it’s a totally valid response. Yesterday was a day like any other, a day when I let routine guide my path through the city. It was … Read more
Here are some actions that you can take to redirect your anger and sadness following the death of Grace Millane. Attend a vigil Many New Zealanders are struggling with how they can express their grief, anger and sympathy for the family and friends of Grace Millane. There are a number of vigil events in the … Read more
Karla, Kirsa, Kirsty, Teresa, Christie, Sophie, Grace. Every woman has the name of another who taught them it’s not safe to be a woman. But what are men being taught? They were known as the Bega Schoolgirls but I’ll always remember their names. Lauren Margaret Barry and Nichole Emma Collins. They were 14 and 16. … Read more