Female MPs speak of sexual assaults

Green MP Mojo Mathers (Simon Wong/File)

Female MPs who walked out of Parliament in protest against John Key's refusal to apologise for saying "you back rapists" have spoken about being victims of sexual violence, some of them for the first time.

Speaking in Parliament, to reporters on Story, they said:

• Denise Roche (Greens): "I endured years of sexual assault as a child, so to come to parliament and have the Prime Minister say that I back rapists is incredibly offensive."
• Catherine Delahunty (Greens): "I was a victim of sexual assault. I was 15, now I'm 62. It's not an easy thing to say, it's a scary thing to do."
• Marama Davidson (Greens): "As a survivor of sexual violence from when I was a young girl, and as someone who has worked with people who have survived, I take deep personal offence at the Prime Minister accusing me of backing rapists."
• Clare Curran (Labour): "It was 11 o'clock at night, I was walking home when a man literally leapt out from behind a bush and tried to rape me."
• Mojo Mathers (Greens): "I was sexually assaulted when I was five years old, it lasted for many years and, like many other women, I never disclosed it."
• Metiria Turei (Greens): "When I was assaulted I didn't think that anyone would believe me. Like so many others, I didn't go to the police and I didn't tell anyone. When the Prime Minister says `you stand up for rapists' he has no idea who he is talking to."

Mr Key shouted the comment across the floor during a heated question time earlier in the week.

It was directed at the opposition benches, not at any single MP.

Of the 585 in the deportation pipeline, 34 have been convicted of child sex offences, 22 for murder and 16 for rape and sexual offences.

Mr Key said in Parliament that he stood by his comment and wasn't going to apologise.

NZN