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A former Christ’s College student sexually assaulted and abused by other students in the 1970s says it was “systematic deliberate abuse” designed to embarrass him.
Jim Goodwin attended the Christchurch school as a guest from 1970 to 1974 and told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care in Auckland on Monday about the assault by other students that left him in fear for his life.
He said it happened as part of a ritual at school known as hauling. Seniors would punish juniors if they felt disrespectful to them.
Goodwin said he accidentally collided with a senior entering the lunchroom when he was in fifth grade (year 11). They told him they would “drag” him and take him to the student study.
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The seniors forced him to drink several liters of warm, salty water, causing him to vomit and become disoriented.
George heard / things
Jim Goodwin was abused by other students at Christ’s College in Christchurch when he was a guest there in the 1970s.
“It got pretty blurry towards the end as I got sicker,” he told the investigation.
“I was throwing up. I was crying. I remember my nose was running. They kept pushing me and told me not to spit it out, to swallow it.
“I was pretty sure they would kill me if I didn’t, so I kept drinking.”
Goodwin was forced out of the study window onto a flat roof. They ordered him to pull down his pants and then one of the students raped him with the handle of a broom.
Another student told the homeroom teacher that Goodwin had been dragged away. They called him to speak with the director of the house, but he did not say anything. The teacher told the students that if they played Goodwin again they would be expelled.
DATELINE PACIFIC / RNZ
A survivor of abuse is asking Pacific people in New Zealand who have been abused in their care to turn to the Royal Commission of Inquiry for guidance and support.
Goodwin said he was verbally abused after that, but no one touched him.
He said he bled occasionally for several weeks after the assault, but was too scared to tell anyone.
He said the assault gave him memories and nightmares for years. He still felt uncomfortable at times and would experience flashbacks if he was in a busy pub and someone unexpectedly touched his back.
He also related a transportation ritual in which students were forced to do push-ups above the compass points. He said a teacher at the school saw him and said they should “continue.”
Christ’s College President Hugh Lindo said they had apologized to Goodwin for the abuse.
Supplied
Christ’s College Executive Director Garth Wynne says the Christchurch school has “undergone immense change” in recent decades.
“We are horrified to learn of Jim’s experience and now we have met with him to personally apologize and understand how we can better support him,” he said.
“We are standing next to him and I have been in [Monday’s] listening to reaffirm our support. We fully support the work and purpose of the investigation. “
The university encouraged anyone who has suffered abuse to contact the royal commission or the university.
Executive Director Garth Wynne said the university had changed since the 1970s.
“Christ’s College, like many schools and organizations, has undergone immense change over the years. We have clear protocols and policies for dealing with complaints, including a policy for dealing with any historical abuse issues. “
