***Distressing content warning***

Ms LL is of European and Māori descent (Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Kahungunu). Sadly, Ms LL has passed away and her statement will be read by her daughter (Ms Y). Ms LL was sexually abused at the age of 12 and was admitted to Lake Alice Child and Adolescent Unit during the time she was at high school. Whilst at Lake Alice, Ms LL was threatened with electroconvulsive therapy, sexually assaulted, put in seclusion and stayed in a ward with adult psychiatric patients. She gave evidence about the impact of her abuse on her relationships and of the Police investigation on her mental health, as well as the economic impacts later in her life.

Ms Y is the daughter of Ms LL. She is of Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Kahungunu descent. Ms Y described a difficult childhood, witnessing domestic violence and her parents’ drug and alcohol addictions. Ms Y moved to Australia with her mother at age 11 before leaving home and school when she was 13 years old, and returning to New Zealand. Ms Y gave evidence of the intergenerational impacts of her mother’s abuse at Lake Alice including a lack of childhood schooling, overcoming her own addictions and how her childhood has affected how she has raised her own children.