What Were You There For? Um, Err...What Have You Got

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So my partner and I went to the Wellington Anti-Rape/Police/International Women's day march yesterday evening. Even though my knee and foot were killing me by the end of the walk I was glad we went.

This morning I was on the edge of a conversation between two acquaintances about media coverage of the event when one comment started me thinking. The comment went something like this: "Yeah in one thing I read they said that not everyone marching was against the police. But that's just wrong, everyone I knew was against the police."

Hhhmmmm...well I wasn't. Not that I said so at the time. It wasn't really my conversation to butt in on and the person doing the talking has views I respect and am interested in so I was mostly keen just to keep listening. On top of that I had the luxury of knowing that I could go home and blog my thoughts anyhow.

So if I wasn't marching against the police, why was I marching?

1. I was marching against the culture of misogyny that still persists in New Zealand. And which provides oxygen for the violence and rape that affects too many New Zealand women's lives.

2. I marched in particular on this day against the manifestations of this misogyny that can be found in our police force.

3. I also was marched to express my outrage against the rapes committed by Shollum and Shipton, and Rickard's repulsive attitudes and abuse of power.

4. And I was marching for changes that lead to a justice system that is more in tune with the needs of rape victims and which, while still offering fair trials to all, makes it easier for the perpetrators of rape to be brought to justice.

All perfectly good reasons to march if you ask me, even if you don't think the police are all bad.