Feminists critical of woman lawyer’s defence in rape cases

Press, 3 December 1982, Page 3

Feminists critical of woman lawyer’s defence in rape cases

PA Auckland An Auckland barrister and solicitor, Mrs Honoria Gray, is the target of a feminist attack for the way she has defended men charged with rape. Two feminists. Ms Sandra Coney and Ms Sue Fitchett, said yesterday that Mrs Gray might not be the last lawyer who defends rapists to be subjected to public protest. The two women organised a protest this week outside Mrs Gray’s Auckland office and handed out several hundred unsigned leaflets headed:,, “Rape victims deserve better than this.” A copy of the leaflet was given to Mrs Gray after it was handed to District Court staff. It suggested that she “blatantly used misogynist myths about rape” in her defence of men charged with the crime. Ms Coney and Ms Fitchett complained about Mrs Gray’s defence of an Auckland businessman in 1979 and a man who appeared on trial in the High Court at Auckland last week. “Feminists have long complained about the police and courtroom treatment of rape victims and the. perpetuation of the myths which blame

the victims of rape," the leaflet said. "We are distressed that a woman takes part in perpetuating these painful and destructive myths." Mrs Gray said yesterday that she would seek advice from the Law Society about what action she could take about the protest. She regarded it as an attempt to intimidate or blackmail her into treating the victims of alleged rape more gently than other witnesses. It was the right of an accused to have the evidence against him tested fully, she said.. It would be easy for a woman to make a false complaint of rape and see a man wrongly convicted. Ms Coney, editor of the feminist newspaper. “Broadsheet,” said she and Ms .Fitchett had for some time been disturbed by Mrs Gray’s courtroom arguments. “We felt moved to express that?’ she said. “But we are not picking on Mrs Gray. We are aware that there are several lawyers who take rape cases and we are also watching the way they handle them. “This could be the first in a series of protests against lawyers whose behaviour concerns us,” Ms Coney said.