Latest news with #abuseSurvivor
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Former Justice Minister Judith Collins refuses to apologise to Lake Alice survivor
Lake Alice survivor Karilyn Wildbore and family. Photo: RNZ/Jimmy Ellingham A senior government minister has refused to apologise to a Lake Alice abuse survivor for telling the United Nations more than 10 years ago that there was no state torture in New Zealand. Then-Justice Minister Judith Collins made the comments in 2014, a decade before the government first used the word 'torture' in relation to the Lake Alice child and adolescent unit in the 1970s. She said she was acting on UN reports from the time. The government now says that children and young people who suffered electric shocks or painful paralysing injections at the Rangitīkei institution are eligible for redress, because they were tortured. Included in that is the offer of $150,000 rapid redress payments , which Levin woman Karilyn Wildbore has decided to take up. In March, she also asked for her compensation to include an apology from Collins, now Attorney-General and Minister of Defence, for her 2014 comments. When questioned about New Zealand's obligations under UN conventions, particularly from the Iranian delegate, Collins said: "In response to Iran, I can advise that there is no state torture in New Zealand." In a letter to Wildbore this week, Collins said she would not apologise for the comments. "My response to Iran's remarks reflected the findings of the United Nations subcommittee on the prevention of torture, which had visited New Zealand in April 2013. "In its report, provided to New Zealand in November 2013, the subcommittee found 'no evidence of torture or physical ill-treatment' in places of detention in New Zealand." Collins said she acknowledged the experiences of Wildbore and others at the Lake Alice unit. "However, I don't believe that what I told the UPR [universal periodic review] in 2014, in response to a remark from Iran, was wrong. "As such, I am unable to provide the apology Ms Wildbore has requested." Wildbore said she was not surprised. "Denial's the name of the game at the moment," she said. "No matter what you do, people don't want to be responsible." Wildbore said Collins should have known about what had happened at Lake Alice, especially since the first compensation payments were made more than a decade before 2014. Only last year, the government began using the word 'torture' to describe the unit's treatment of children and young people, under lead psychiatrist Dr Selwyn Leeks. The $150,000 rapid payments are part of a $22.68 million package for Lake Alice Survivors announced late last year. Survivors who received electric shocks or paralysing injections could either opt for these payments or head to arbitration. Collins' office was contacted for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
News24
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Cassie Ventura's husband on the strain of sitting through his pregnant wife's Diddy testimony
Cassie Ventura's husband, Alex Fine, has broken his silence, saying it hasn't been easy sitting through his pregnant wife's testimony in the Diddy trial. Cassie (38) has been testifying in the trial of Diddy (55), who faces five criminal counts - one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He denies the allegations against him. In a heartfelt statement, Alex expressed deep admiration for the strength and courage demonstrated by the singer as she testified about her abusive relationship with the rap mogul. 'Over the past five days, the world has got to witness the strength and bravery of my wife, freeing herself of her past,' Alex (32), a fitness trainer and actor, said in the statement. 'I have felt so many things sitting there. I have felt tremendous pride and overwhelming love for Cass,' he added. 'I have felt profound anger that she has been subjected to sitting in front of a person who tried to break her.' Cassie (38) spent five days testifying in the US District Court in Lower Manhattan, recounting the abuse she suffered at the hands of her former partner, Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Her husband, Alex, later highlighted that her journey of recovery and healing reflected her resilience, adding that he doesn't take any credit for her strength. 'I did not save Cassie,' he said. 'To say that is an insult to the years of painful work my wife has done to save herself. 'Cassie saved Cassie. She alone broke free from abuse, coercion, violence and threats. All I have done is love her as she has loved me.' Cassie and Alex met when he was hired as Diddy's personal trainer in late 2018. A source close to them previously revealed that romance blossomed after Cassie also became one of Alex's clients. 'They hit it off, and she started to open up to him,' the insider told People. 'Alex wanted to be with Cassie.' Cassie left Diddy in September 2018 and later that year went public with her relationship with Alex. Shortly after they began dating, Cassie fell pregnant. The couple married in August 2019 and welcomed their daughter, Frankie (5), later that year. They also have a younger daughter, Sunny (4), and are expecting their third child. Alex, originally from Lake Orion, Michigan, played football as a defensive back for Central Michigan University from 2012 to 2014. After college, he became a personal trainer in Los Angeles and now trains celebrity clients like Jennifer Aniston and Mark Wahlberg. Alex made a career shift in 2021 and started acting with a recurring role in the American western mini-series 1883. He has since appeared in American Primeval on Netflix and Mobland on Paramount+. He says making such a big career change took a bit of 'delusional confidence,' which he believes is sometimes necessary. He's passionate about charity work, supporting causes like Compton Cowboys, which helps Compton youth through horse riding, and Haven Homes of Detroit, which offers safe housing for human trafficking survivors.
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Former tennis star Jelena Dokic confirms death of estranged father, Damir Dokic
Damir Dokic, the estranged father and coach of former tennis star Jelena Dokic, has died. Jelena confirmed in a social media post Damir died last Friday, saying she had 'conflicting and complex emotions and feelings' about the news. Jelena, a former world No 4 and Wimbledon semi-finalist, has recounted surviving years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her father. She chronicled the abuse in her autobiography, Unbreakable, which was released in 2017. She had been estranged from Damir for the past decade. 'As you know my relationship with my father has been difficult and painful with a lot of history,' she wrote on Instagram on Wednesday night, alongside a picture of the pair when Jelena was a young child. 'Despite everything and no matter how hard, difficult and in the last 10 years even non existent our relationship and communication was, it is never easy losing a parent and a father even one you are estranged from.' Since retiring from professional sport in 2014 and becoming a tennis commentator and pundit, Dokic had been open about her struggles with mental health. In 2022, she revealed she nearly took her own life. 'The loss of an estranged parent comes with a difficult and complicated grief,' she wrote. 'It's an end of a chapter and life as I know it. There are lots of conflicting and complex emotions and feelings for me. 'For the end of this chapter, I choose to focus on a good memory like this picture. 'And as always and especially important to who I am as a person and what I want to stand for which is respect, grace, kindness, dignity and empathy, I will and want to be that person in this situation too. 'For now, I will leave it there. 'Please respect mine and the rest of my family's privacy at this time.' Since Jelena rose to prominence on the tennis court, her father became a controversial presence on the tennis tour, often attracting attention for his outbursts. At one point he was banned by the WTA. He served time in prison in 2009 after he threatened to blow up the Australian ambassador to Belgrade. In her book Jelena alleged constant abuse at the hands of her father, including one instance when she recalled him beating her so badly she lost consciousness. A film based on the book was released last year, and in it Jelena said: 'Every morning, I woke up and thought: 'How do I make sure he doesn't hurt me today?'' She ended Wednesday's post: 'And my final words. RIP.' In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service on 1800 737 732. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Diddy trial live: The real reason Justin Bieber addressed rapper abuse allegations
Sean ' Diddy ' Combs trial is underway in New York for the second week after testimony from his ex-girlfriend and main accuser Cassie Ventura concluded. The music mogul, 55, is accused of exploiting his status as an entertainment executive to force women, including Cassie, into drug-fueled 'freak-offs' with male sex workers and engaged in other abusive acts against people who relied on him for their careers. Last week Justin Bieber finally broke his silence on his relationship with Diddy, with experts telling The U.S. Sun the struggling former child star wants to become 'symbol of survival and allyship.' On Friday, Cassie Ventura finished testifying against him after four emotional days on the witness stand during which she was questioned about the deepest, most disturbing secrets of her sex life and described being beaten and raped by a man she once loved. Diddy's lawyers have argued that he is guilty of domestic violence - which he is not charged with - but innocent of sex trafficking and racketeering. Justin Bieber wants to be a 'symbol of survival,' says PR expert Justin Bieber broke his silence on explosive rumors connecting him to Sean ' Diddy ' Combs just days after the disgraced music mogul's sex trafficking trial began. Last year, a video of the pair resurfaced which some fans labeled as 'disturbing' and showed Combs and Justin - who was a minor at the time - hanging out for '48 hours.' The pair also worked together on an album. 'Although Justin is not among Sean Combs' victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him. Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve,' his spokesperson said in a statement to TMZ. PR expert Chad Teixeira told The U.S. Sun that Beiber chose to speak out as a publicity move. 'The allegations against Diddy have reached critical mass. Bieber knows that if he doesn't speak now, the narrative will be written without him and probably not in his favor,' Teixera said. 'This is a moment of calculated authenticity.' Beiber wanted to make sure he is not seen as a bystander but rather a 'symbol of survival and allyship,' per the expert. 12:33 Aubrey O'day slams Diddy as 'selfish' for having his kids attend his trial O'Day, a former member of the Didd-created group Danity Kane, said on the Amy & TJ podcast that the rapper was 'selfish' for allowing his kids to attend his trial. Six of Combs' seven children; Quincy, 33, Justin, 31, Christian, 27, Chance 19, and 18-year-old twins Jessie and D'Lila, have been stoically trying to listen to the graphic descriptions of their father's alleged sexual fetishes. His youngest child, Love, is two-and-a half. 'The fact that the kids are marching up to that court,' she said on the podcast. 'I don't know any father that would want their children to sit through [that kind of] testimony.' Aubrey O'Day slams Diddy for having his kids hear vulgar testimony One of Sean ' Diddy ' Combs' previous protégés is slamming her former boss and sparing no words in her assessment of his actions.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Cassie ends Diddy testimony by revealing her $10 MILLION pay day from viral hotel beating
Cassie's husband Alex Fine shares statement Over the past five days, the world has gotten to witness the strength and bravery of my wife, freeing herself of her past. There has been speculation online surrounding how it must feel for me to sit there and listen to my wife's testimony. I have felt so many things sitting there. I have felt tremendous pride and overwhelming love for Cass. I have felt profound anger that she has been subjected to sitting in front of a person who tried to break her. So, to him and all of those who helped him along the way, please know this: You did not. You did not break her spirit nor her smile that lights up every room. You did not break the souls of a mother who gives the best hugs and plays the silliest games with our little girls. You did not break the woman who has made me a better man. I did not save Cassie, as some have said. To say that is an insult to the years of painful work my wife has done to save herself. Cassie saved Cassie. She alone broke free from abuse, coercion, violence and threats. She did the work of fighting the demons that only a demon himself could have done to her. All I have done is love her as she has loved me. Her life is now surrounded by love, laughter and our family. This horrific chapter is forever put behind us, and we will not be making additional statements. We appreciate all of the love and support we have received, and we ask that you respect our privacy as we welcome our son into a world that is now safer because of his mom.
