Calls for NZ Cricket to address sexual violence concerns

January 25, 2019 at 9:38 AM

From the NZFVC

Calls have been made for New Zealand Cricket to address concerns about sexism and sexual violence, following Scott Kuggeleijn playing for the Black Caps last week.

Background information

In 2016, Kuggeleijn, 24, was tried for the rape of a 20 year old woman. This resulted in a hung jury; in a retrial in 2017 he was not convicted. However attention has ben drawn to the testimony of the complainant, behaviours Kuggeleijn himself described in court and arguments made by his defence.

In court Kuggeleijn said "I tried [having sex] twice, like she might have said 'no, no' a few times but it wasn't dozens of times."

A witness testified Kuggeleijn said the next day "he had been trying for a while and that he had finally cracked it.”

The next day he texted an apology which was later read out in court: "I heard you felt you couldn't say no and were pressured into things. It's pretty chilling to hear and think of myself in that kind of light, but looking back I was pretty persistent. I'm so so sorry and it has made me think about a few things. I hope you are OK and I'm sorry for the harm mentally I have caused you."

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