Connell Brian: Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Connell Brian: Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
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BRIAN CONNELL (National—Rakaia) 
: 
 Unlike some legislation that has come into the House over recent months I believe that this legislation is very worthy. Like previous speakers I also would like to recognise and commend Dianne Yates for the work she has done in bringing this legislation to the House in this shape. 
I want to start by debunking a myth that date rape is in some way something special. It is just another form of rape. I learnt something today that shocked me. Seventy percent of these types of drug rapes are not done by strangers but by people who are known to their victims. In my view that is extremely alarming. Men who engage in this type of drug rape are vicious criminals. They are serial rapists and unfortunately for every person that our justice system brings to book there are probably many people who have gone undetected simply because this type of crime is easy to perpetrate. The drug is easy to administer by sleight of hand and is hard to trace in the body. It is becoming a significant issue. 
I had the opportunity—as I know that other members in the House did—to listen to some amazing people today at the Law and Order Committee. I want it on record that I was deeply touched by some of those individuals. They were strong courageous people with equally strong families and they were victims of this type of crime. They wanted to talk about their plight and why it is just so difficult to deal with. They told us in some detail why it is hard to prove and of the impact on their families and relationships. 
I am sure I was not alone in immediately thinking about my own children and about how I would need to act to protect their best interests as they start to engage in social activities. My daughter is 14 and my son is approaching 16 years of age and I now believe that they are very vulnerable. Anything we can do to tighten up this legislation will get my strong support. 
One thing that hit me very hard today listening to these people talk was that they felt in the early days in particular that they were not well supported by the judiciary and the police. They stressed that that is changing but it is an issue in their minds. One submitter talked to us about how she was unable to prove her prosecution simply because she could not prove that she did not consent. This is the real issue of this legislation. These drugs render people unable to object. We must make sure that we frame legislation that gives those people the protection in law they deserve. 
I raise one concern and that is the “drunk and regret syndrome”. Having a lot of drinks and falling into bed with someone then waking up the next morning and regretting it is not an excuse— 
Rodney Hide 
: A National Party party! 
BRIAN CONNELL 
: I say to Mr Hide that that is not an excuse to invoke this legislation. We must be very careful as we frame this legislation that that does not happen. 
I will go back to the issue that I raised earlier that the people who perpetrate these acts are vicious criminals. The people who spoke to us today also talked about the appalling injuries they had received whilst being rendered unconscious or unable to object. They talked about broken arms head injuries— 
John Carter 
: Really? 
BRIAN CONNELL 
: Absolutely—and also about sexually transmitted diseases. Women who are good citizens had to go through the embarrassment of presenting themselves to sexual health clinics. We need to do more to protect our women from this type of activity and as a member of the Law and Order Committee I am very determined to make sure that we frame legislation that allows that to happen. 
So I go back to where I began in congratulating Dianne Yates on having the courage and the determination to bring this legislation to the House. I hear what some of the other members have said about their reservations. As a member of the Law and Order Committee I will be mindful of what they have told us but the thrust of this legislation has my very strong support.