New Zealand prime minister John Key criticised for 'rape joke' stunt

NewZealand’sprimeminister,JohnKey,hasbeenaccusedofmakinglightofrapeafterparticipatinginaradiostuntreferencingsexualassaultinprison.

KeyappearedforaninformalinterviewonTheRockradiostationonWednesdaywhenhewasaskedtoenteracageandpickupabarofsoap–aclearreferencetorapeinprisons.

Whenhepickedupthesoap,theradiostation’sstaffdissolvedintolaughterandtheleaderthencommentedthatthesoapsmeltbadandwasgreasy.

Theradiohosttoldhimthesoapwastakenfromthemen’surinal.

KenClearwaterfromSurvivorsofSexualAbuseNewZealandsaidhefoundthestunt“bloodyappalling”.

“Rapeisnotajoke,fullstop.Regardlessofthegenderofthevictim.Thepsychologicaldamagedonetomenandboysisthesameastowomen.”

DeborahRussell,afeministcommentatorandMasseyUniversitylecturer,saidshetoo,was“appalled”bytheprimeminister’sparticipationinthestunt,whichshesaidwasfurtherevidenceofhisweakstanceontacklingsexualviolenceinNewZealand.

“He[JohnKey]hasaterriblehistoryofnotstandingupagainstsexualviolenceinthiscountry.Hehascutfundingtorapecrisis,hesilencedwomenparliamentarianswhospokeoutabouttheirownsexualassaultexperiencesandnowwehavehimmakingjokesaboutprisonrapeonanationalradiostation.Whenwillitend?”

GreensMPJanLogiewasoneofthefemaleMPswhowalkedoutofparliamentinNovemberafterbeingsilencedforopenlydiscussingherpersonalexperienceasasurvivorofsexualviolence.

“ItseemstomethatthisisnotthefirsttimethatthePMhasmadelightofrapeandmadefunofmarginalisedpeopletoincreasehisownpopularity.Andagainhehasbehavedlikeaschoolyardbully,anditmakesitreallyhardtochangethecultureinNewZealandthatwillmakepeoplefeelmoresafe.”

RaeDuff,thenationalpresidentofNewZealand’sNationalCouncilofWomen,saidKeywasroutinely“trivialising”sexualviolence,andheshouldapologisefortheradiostunt.

“WearedisappointedtoseeprimeministerJohnKeyjokingaboutandtrivialisingsexualviolence.ViolenceisaseriousissueinNewZealandwithmanycasesgoingunreported.

“Key’s‘joke’showsalackofrespectforvictimsandcontributestothestigmafacedwhenspeakingoutaboutviolenceandharassment.WecallonJohnKeytoapologiseforhis‘joke’andtodomoretosupportthevictimsofviolenceinNewZealand.”

Inthe2011UnitedNationsReportontheStatusofWomen,NewZealandwasrankedworstofalltheOECDcountriesforratesofsexualviolence.

TheRockradiostuntisthelatestinaseriesofliveradioappearancesKeyhasmadethisyear,manywhichhavepushedboundariesandrevealedintimatedetails.

InOctober,KeyappearedonRadioHaurakiandadmittedhehadurinatedintheshower,didn’ttrimhispubichairandhadneversenta“dickpic”.

PoliticalcommentatorDrBryceEdwardstoldRadioNewZealandonThursdaymorningtheprimeminister’s“jokeyblokey”personawasakeypartofhispublicimageandtheradiostuntswouldnothurthisreputationinthelongterm.

“Heremainsaverypopularprimeministerandit’sbecauseheisnotalooflikeatypicalprimeminister.He’snotastickinthemud,hedoesgoinforthesejokes.”

AspokespersonforKeytoldtheGuardian:“TheprimeministerdoestheseinterviewsinthespiritofChristmasandthecontentisdecidedbythehosts.

“Theinterviewsaremeanttobelighthearted,andtheprimeministerhopesthemediaandthepublictakethemthatway.”