Papatoetoe Centennial Pools is one of Auckland’s Council’s 31 community pool complexes.
Auckland Council has apologised after a woman accused the Papatoetoe Centennial Pools of ignoring inappropriate sexual behaviour.
Marni Adlam, 37, was at Papatoetoe Centennial Pool last month when she saw a man who looked like he was masturbating.
Adlam was sitting in the spa pool with her friend.
“We thought it might be scratching or something, but it just carried on and on and on and on,” she said.
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Adlam reported the incident to staff but felt she was brushed aside.
“We were told, ‘There’s no one in the pool now, so it’s not a problem,’” she said.
Papatoetoe Centennial Pools is one of the 31 pools Auckland Council has across the city.
On Monday, the Auckland Council apologised to Adlam, saying they had “failed to follow” their own procedures when she first reported the incident to staff.
“Indecent, unsafe or predatory behaviour is not tolerated in any council space, and we do have processes in place to respond to incidents of this nature,” said Auckland Council in a letter to Adlam.
“I’m sorry that your complaint was not handled appropriately and that you left the facility not being heard. We should have done better.”
Auckland Council will install signs in all their pools to let customers know they are being monitored by CCTV, the letter said.
RNZ
Gay, lesbian or bisexual people are twice as likely to suffer from sexual violence or family harm than the average New Zealander.
“Because the health, safety and wellbeing of our customers is important to us, the spa pool should be checked every 15 minutes by the lifeguards.
“This will continue to ensure customers are behaving appropriately, and any undesirable behaviour is dealt with immediately,” the letter said.
The council will also upskill the pool’s team on how to manage inappropriate incidents and what to do when a customer makes a complaint.
Although this is not the outcome Adlam hoped for, she is glad to see some change on the horizon.
“I am not thrilled with the results, but am happy they are doing their best to prevent a further incident,” she said.
Another woman who was present reported the indecent incident to police, but no one was charged.
Dave Stewart, Auckland Council Head of Active Recreation, said indecent, unsafe, or predatory behaviour is not tolerated in any council space.
“We take complaints and allegations of this nature seriously,” he said.
“Upon receiving this complaint from a member of the public, we acted immediately to investigate and resolve this complaint.
“It’s important to us that our customers feel heard and that their complaints are dealt with in a satisfactory way.”
Where to get help for sexual violence
- Rape Prevention Education click here for local sexual assault support services.
- Safe to talk: a 24/7 confidential helpline 0800 842 846, text 4334, webchat safetotalk.nz or email support@safetotalk.nz.
- The Harbour Online support and information for people affected by sexual abuse.
- Women’s Refuge 0800 733 843 (females only)
- Male Survivors Aotearoa Helplines across NZ, click to find out more (males only)
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.
Need help? If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation, click the Shielded icon at the bottom of this website to contact Women’s Refuge in a safe and anonymous way without it being traced in your browser history. If you’re in our app, visit the mobile website here to access Shielded.
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