***Distressing content warning***

Presentation starts at 13:45

Professor Stanley gave evidence about the nature of abuse in State care based on her extensive research for the published book The Road To Hell: State Violence against Children in Postwar New Zealand. The book tells the story of 105 New Zealanders who experienced abuse and neglect in care as children.

Professor Stanley covered:

• An overview of abuse, including the daily degradations children experienced in institutions

• The structural framework that enabled institutional impunity: the ways adults and institutions were able to carry out and cover up abuse for many years

• The care to custody pipelines and the factors which increase the chances of those in care ending up in prison. This will also touch on some of the issues in the current landscape, particularly in terms of risk

• Legacies of abuse in care including long terms impacts for individuals, families and communities.