Survivor Advocate Says New Zealand Must Do More for Male Victims of Sexual Abuse

Survivor Advocate Says New Zealand Must Do More for Male Victims of Sexual Abuse

One of New Zealand’s leading survivor advocates says the country has made significant progress in supporting victims of childhood sexual abuse, but major gaps remain in access to services and the justice system. Christchurch-based advocate Ken Clearwater reflected on a journey that began more than three decades ago when he sought help after reaching a crisis point. Clearwater revealed that at age 38 he found himself contemplating suicide after years of anger, violence and emotional turmoil stemming from sexual abuse he experienced as a 12-year-old boy. Despite desperately seeking help, he was repeatedly turned away before eventually finding support through a psychologist who helped him connect his struggles to his childhood trauma. What followed was a lifelong commitment to supporting male survivors of sexual abuse, a field that was largely unrecognised at the time. Clearwater became involved in peer-support groups and later helped establish and lead initiatives supporting male survivors across New Zealand. He said one of the most powerful discoveries was the value of peer support, allowing survivors to connect with others who had experienced similar trauma. At the time, few services anywhere in the world were specifically designed for male survivors, and there was little research or professional training available. Clearwater’s work eventually connected him with advocates, researchers and clinicians from around the world. Through international conferences and collaborations, he helped raise awareness of the prevalence of abuse against boys and men, a topic often overlooked in discussions about sexual violence. He said New Zealand became an international leader in peer-support models for male survivors, attracting interest from overseas organisations seeking to understand how community-led support could complement clinical services. However, Clearwater believes significant challenges remain. He argues that many survivors still face barriers when seeking help and says the justice system often fails to adequately support victims through the reporting and prosecution process. Despite decades of advocacy, he says more work is needed to ensure survivors can access effective support and be treated with dignity throughout their recovery. Reflecting on his career, Clearwater said he is proud of how far New Zealand has come but remains determined to continue pushing for change. “We’ve come a bloody long way,” he said, “but we’ve still got a long way to go.” See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Gloria Masters: Survivor Calls Child Sexual Abuse New Zealand's 'Silent Epidemic'

Internationally recognised survivor advocate Gloria Masters has highlighted what she describes as New Zealand's "silent epidemic" of child sexual abuse, while sharing her own decades-long journey of recovery and healing. Masters, who grew up in West Auckland, revealed she experienced sexual abuse and trafficking throughout her childhood, beginning in infancy and continuing until the age of 16. She said the abuse left lasting psychological impacts that took decades to fully understand and address. Masters said recovery from prolonged childhood trauma was far from straightforward. "I thought I would be fine once it was over," she said. "Instead, everything fell apart." Masters described dissociation as one of the most significant consequences of her trauma, explaining it as a survival mechanism in which "the mind leaves because the body can't." Now an author, speaker and advocate, Masters has dedicated much of her later life to supporting survivors and challenging systems that allow abuse to continue unchecked. She said she was not able to openly discuss her experiences until she was nearly 60 years old, when writing her memoir helped her process what had happened. Masters cited research indicating that one in three girls and one in five boys in New Zealand will experience sexual abuse before adulthood. She argued that the scale of the issue is not reflected in public discussion or policy attention. "The outcry is invisible," she said, describing child sexual abuse as a problem that remains largely hidden despite its prevalence. Masters also spoke about the role of grooming, secrecy and shame in preventing victims from disclosing abuse. She said perpetrators often manipulate not only children but also families and communities, making it difficult for survivors to be believed when they eventually speak out. A particularly damaging experience, she said, can occur when survivors are dismissed after disclosing abuse. Masters referred to this as a "second wound", a further trauma caused by disbelief, denial or minimisation. Despite the challenges, she emphasised that recovery and healing are possible. Through her advocacy work, Masters now hears regularly from survivors around New Zealand and overseas who are finding the confidence to share their own stories. Her message, she said, is simple but powerful: survivors are not alone, they deserve to be believed, and hope remains possible even after profound trauma. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Filmmaker Shares Story of Grief, Survival and the Power of Storytelling

Award-winning filmmaker Paula opened up about a lifetime of hardship, resilience and devastating loss, offering listeners a candid insight into the realities of grief and recovery. Growing up in Hastings during the 1970s and 1980s, Paula described a childhood marked by freedom, responsibility and family challenges. Leaving school at 15, becoming a mother at 17, and later returning to education as an adult, she eventually found her calling in filmmaking after attending film school in her mid-twenties. Paula shared that storytelling became a turning point in her life following a period of alcohol and drug misuse that followed a traumatic event in her early adulthood. “I realised the power of storytelling,” she said. “I could tell the stories of people who weren’t often heard.” Her work has focused on marginalised communities, including women in gangs and those affected by social inequality. Through documentary filmmaking, she found a way to process her own experiences while amplifying the voices of others. The conversation centred on the profound impact of losing her son 12 years ago. Paula spoke openly about the guilt, grief and unanswered questions that followed his death, describing how work became both a refuge and a distraction. “Grief is the same as eating and sleeping,” she said. “You have to feel it.” Kyle MacDonald noted that the loss of a child is one of the most difficult forms of grief a parent can experience and emphasised that grief has no fixed timeline. Listeners responded with messages of support, praising Paula’s honesty and courage in sharing her story. The discussion also explored intergenerational trauma, family relationships and the challenges many people face in expressing emotions. Paula reflected on how her own upbringing influenced her parenting and acknowledged the ongoing work required to rebuild connections with her daughters. Now working on several new projects, including a television comedy series and feature films tackling difficult social issues, Paula remains committed to telling stories that challenge audiences and encourage conversations many families struggle to have. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

From Survival to Service: Lyndal Midgley’s Journey Through Trauma, Foster Care and Mental Health Advocacy

Guest Lyndal Midgley spoke about growing up first on a remote Northland farm before moving to Auckland’s North Shore as a child. While her early years were idyllic, she described her teenage years as deeply turbulent, shaped by family conflict, emotional isolation and a growing mental health struggle. At just 15 years old, she overdosed at a Blue Light disco, an event she says became a turning point in her life. “I remember the feeling of shame,” she recalled, describing how the incident became widely known at school and church, yet little emotional support followed. Despite the trauma, Midgley completed high school and later studied business and tourism, persevering through academic setbacks to earn two diplomas. The conversation explored how those early experiences eventually led Midgley toward helping others. After years working in accounting and IT, she unexpectedly became a foster parent after a teenage neighbour asked to live with her and her then-husband. That experience introduced her to the realities of neurodiversity, youth trauma and the complexities of New Zealand’s mental health and care systems. Over time, Midgley became heavily involved in mental health advocacy and education, eventually teaching Mental Health First Aid courses across New Zealand. She explained the training focuses on helping everyday people recognise distress, respond empathetically and safely support someone experiencing a mental health crisis. “A lot of it is learning how to listen to understand, rather than listening to respond,” she said during the programme. Midgley also discussed the importance of directly asking someone if they are suicidal when warning signs are present, a conversation many people fear having. She stressed that empathy, calmness and genuine presence can make an enormous difference during moments of crisis. Alongside her mental health work, Midgley now volunteers as a first responder with ambulance services, motivated in part by gratitude toward the paramedics who saved her life after her teenage overdose. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Facing Fear: Can Virtual Reality Cure Phobias?

A new virtual reality treatment developed in New Zealand is offering hope to people living with debilitating phobias and anxiety, using immersive technology to recreate the situations they fear most. Speaking on Newstalk ZB’s “Nutters Club”, host Hamish Williams and psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald explored how exposure therapy is evolving through personalized VR exposure therapy powered by generative AI. Kiwi tech company oVRcome are leading the charge. Founder Adam Hutchinson said the idea for the company emerged during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020, when he recognised the untapped therapeutic potential of VR headsets. Hutchinson, who struggled with severe social anxiety as a teenager, said traditional exposure therapy could take years and was difficult for many people to access. “Seventy-two percent of people who need exposure therapy never actually get it, because it’s too hard and takes too long,” Hutchinson said. The company which is a finalist at the 2026 NZ Hi-Tech Awards, has conducted clinical trials with the University of Otago, achieving promising results. Hutchinson said participants using the platform experienced an average 75 percent reduction in symptoms across five specific phobias after six weeks. A second trial focused on social anxiety reported a 50 percent reduction in severity after 18 weeks. oVRcome  has now delivered more than 115,000 exposure sessions across 64 countries and is working with almost 1,900 clinicians worldwide. During the programme, Williams tested the technology himself using a VR recreation of the crown of the Statue of Liberty, the site of a previous panic attack triggered by his fear of heights. Guided  by MacDonald, Williams practised breathing exercises and relaxation techniques while immersed in the virtual environment. MacDonald explained that exposure therapy works by gradually helping people confront feared situations without becoming overwhelmed. “The aim is to get ourselves into that situation that provokes fear, not escaping, but also not flooding ourselves to the point of panic,” he said. Listeners also shared their own experiences with phobias on air. One caller described overcoming a lifelong fear of snakes after handling one at an Australian zoo, while another spoke about vivid imagery linked to anxiety and recurring fears. The discussion highlighted how phobias can range from mild discomfort to life-limiting conditions, and how new technologies may help make treatment more accessible for people reluctant or unable to seek traditional therapy. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.