A prominent sexual violence survivor and advocate says New Zealand should be “extremely grateful” for the actions of a young woman that sparked the downfall of one of the country’s top cops.

A bombshell report released this week from the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) criticises some of the most senior police officers in New Zealand for failing to properly investigate the woman’s complaints that former deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming was a sexual predator.

Louise Nicholas, a survivor and sexual violence advocate, gained a public profile after she alleged police officers raped her when she was in her teens.

While four men were later acquitted, her case sparked an inquiry into how police treated victims of sexual violence.

More than three decades after her case, which was also marred with allegations of a police cover-up, Nicholas said the police response to the current case was “a breath of fresh air”.

So much so she does not believe further ministerial inquiries are warranted as the IPCA report was so thorough. Police commissioner Richard Chambers says the police will implement all 13 of the report’s recommendations.

Sexual violence advocate Louise Nicholas. Photo / Mark Mitchell

“I remember the chain being dragged [during reviews prompted by her allegations in the 1990s] and it was so frustrating,” Nicholas said.

“But this time around, it’s so good to hear that the police leadership team are on it, that they are not dragging anything, that they are implementing what the IPCA showed.”

The highest-ranking police officers in New Zealand ignored allegations that McSkimming was a sexual predator.

Instead of investigating whether the sex claims could be corroborated or not, police used emails sent by the young woman as evidence to prosecute her for a harassment campaign against McSkimming.

Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. Photo / Mark Mitchell

That charge has since been withdrawn by the Crown.

Nicholas said her email inbox had been overloaded with messages from people who had experienced sexual harm, including historically by the police, since the news around McSkimming broke.

Nicholas urged survivors of sexual harm, including by the police, to come forward. She recommended they contact an agency or support group first so that if they do take their complaint to the police they do not have to do it alone.

She said Chambers’ public statements since the release of the IPCA report had been comforting, and was “reassured everybody that this time around [things are different] ... it’s a breath of fresh air and things are changing”.

‘Time for action’

Green Party police spokesperson Tamatha Paul was pleased with the depth and scope of the IPCA report, and said “now was the time for action” rather than further inquiries.

“I think the purpose of the IPCA [report] is really to show the depth and scope and the magnitude of this one incident ... [it has] shown there is a real problem with people in positions [of] power.”

Green MP for Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Paul welcomed the establishment of an Inspector-General of Police – the strongest statutory oversight mechanism available that sits above the Police Commissioner.

Paul said she had contacted Police Minister Mark Mitchell and wants all parties in Parliament to work together to understand how to prevent the situation from ever happening again.

“Are the safeguards that they’re going to put in place [from the IPCA report] appropriate enough, or is this going to happen again?”

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.