This one from New Zealand, where a violent man tried to kill a woman, his ex-partner, and put the lives of her two children in serious danger.
He’s an “arsonist” apparently.
Under New Zealand law, arson is defined as damage to property. It’s considered more serious when the property damage could endanger human lives, but the basic offence is about property not people.
Shiva Lachman Anand, 33, pushed the woman against a wall, put her in a stranglehold, yelled “You’re going to die bitch” and then he poured petrol over her, while she was holding their three month old baby. Her nine year old daughter was also in the room.
She was incredibly brave, and lucky. She managed to get herself and her two children out of the house, but she suffered serious bruising in the attack and lost her house and all her possessions in the fire. She and her two children were left utterly traumatised.
So, yes, he is an arsonist, in that he caused property damage by deliberately starting a fire, but how is that his most serious crime? He tried to kill a woman, even the judge described it as “an extreme example of domestic violence”, why is he defined in the headline by the damage he did to property, not the damage he did to this woman and her children?
It’s the ever present minimising of men’s violence against women. It’s wrong, it’s incredibly damaging, it’s exhausting, it’s traumatising for victims and it’s well past time it stopped.
New Zealand Crisis services:
- Domestic Violence Crisis Line – 303 3939
- HELP – www.helpauckland.org.nz or 09 623 1700
- Counselling Services Centre – www.csccounselling.org.nz or 09 277 9324
- For a list of sexual assault services across New Zealand see www.rapecrisis.org.nz
- In an Emergency phone Police on 111
Australian crisis services:
1800 RESPECT
Sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling and support.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ph: 1800 737 732
www.1800respect.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ph: 1300 659 467
www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Kids Helpline
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone: 1800 55 1800
www.kidshelp.com.au
MensLine Australia
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone: 1300 78 99 78
www.mensline.org.au
Child Wise National Abuse Helpline
Mon-Fri: 9 am – 5 pm
Ph: 1800 99 10 99
www.childwise.org.au
