Ignored and prosecuted: The price of speaking out against a top cop
It’s hard to fathom how the woman who tried to warn police about Jevon McSkimming’s behaviour is still the one sitting in the dock.
A young woman who tried to warn police about one of the country’s most powerful police officers, a man later found to have thousands of images of bestiality and child exploitation material, is the one still being prosecuted.
This case perfectly captures why New Zealanders have lost faith in the police. When those at the top are caught protecting their own, the public knows exactly where the system’s loyalties lie. The Independent Police Conduct Authority’s report made that painfully clear. I’m not a fan of the IPCA they always seem to protect their mates in the force. Police leadership believed Jevon McSkimming’s story without question and treated his accuser as the problem to be dealt with, not the victim to be protected.
Instead of investigating her allegations, they went after her. They weaponised the Harmful Digital Communications Act against a traumatised woman, a woman who was trying desperately to be heard after being silenced. They called her abusive. They called her unstable. They refused to see what was right in front of them.
Even now, after all the apologies and media statements, she is still being prosecuted for sending “abusive” emails. Abusive? Or just furious, broken, and desperate for justice? You can almost hear the sneer in the way police frame it, as if her anger is the crime, not what she endured.
This is what institutional rot looks like. A culture that rewards silence and punishes those who speak out. A system that apologises with one hand while filing new charges with the other. The message to every sexual assault victim in this country is chillingly clear. If you come forward, we will ruin you.
New Zealand police have spent years claiming to rebuild trust after past scandals, yet every move in this case reeks of self-preservation. They circle the wagons to protect their own while dragging victims through the courts. Then they wonder why survivors don’t go to the police.
This woman was re-victimised by the very institution that was supposed to protect her. She was left to scream into the void until someone finally listened. By then, the damage was done.
An apology does not cut it. Not while the prosecution continues. Not while those responsible for covering up McSkimming’s actions still collect taxpayer-funded paychecks. Not while the woman he hurt is still treated like a criminal.
Until that changes, no one can seriously claim the New Zealand Police deserve the public’s trust.
If you are the woman at the centre of this story and want to tell your side, you can share your experience here. I will publish your account fully and allow you to remain 100% anonymous, giving you a platform to be heard safely, because it’s obvious the NZ mainstream media don’t care about you, nor does the NZ Police.
Time to review all the coverups under this police leadership, being steered by Labour politicians? I can think of quite a few.
Thanks for this. Real change is needed at the NZ Police.
As a manager/supervisor of staff, over the past 10 years I have had to deal with staff raising issues ranging from a personality conflict, conduct in breach of the staff code of conduct and also sexual harassment.
In all cases I took the complaints seriously, listened to my staff and reassured them. I told them the process that the company had in place and proceeded to follow the exact process.
All the matters were resolved.
At no time was there any thought of protecting anyone that I was closer to, or be cause of any other factor, it was all about following the process.
In the NZ Police example, they have subverted the process to protect the guilty and also subverted the HDCA process to suit those ends.
As well a a proper independent investigation and reform, changes to the HDCA need to be made, there are several examples from the FSU of it having been misused - exactly as National were warned it would be.