Warning: This story discusses rape and contains details that may disturb.
The two women whose complaints led to police investigating two men who drugged and sexually assaulted dozens of women in Christchurch have spoken out.
On Thursday, the identity of brothers Danny and Roberto Jaz were finally unmasked. Danny and Roberto worked in Mama Hooch and restaurant Venuti, where most of the drugging and sexual assaults took place.
The Jaz brothers went about years of horrifying offending against their customers and their own staff. They are now convicted on a total of 69 sex crimes and drugging charges.
The women, who were sexually violated and assaulted by Roberto on a winter's night in 2018, have spoken to Newshub after the identity of the Jaz brothers was finally revealed.
Neither woman can be identified.
The first woman to raise the alarm, who we'll name Sarah, was seen on CCTV footage in 2018 with Roberto shortly after being sexually violated and assaulted. She's high on drugs that he supplied, and to this day she doesn't know what they are.
She was with her friend, who we'll call Anna, outside Mama Hooch. They were out celebrating one of them turning just 18 years old.
Roberto's brother Danny was there that night, but it was Roberto who led the two girls down to Venuti with the offer of free drinks, before drugging and sexually violating and assaulting them both.
- If you have more information, contact Juliet Speedy in confidence on juliet.speedy@wbd.com
Sarah was violated by a man who had been her boss since her early teens.
"I had work relationships with these men since my first years in high school. I looked up to them and learnt from them," Sarah told Newhsub.
But instead, they targeted and preyed on her. Anna and Sarah's complaints led to police launching Operation Sinatra.
Neither they nor any of the women knew how extensive the Jaz brothers' offending was until a month ago when suppression of the case lapsed.
"[This was] to ensure their evidence wasn't tainted or compromised by any of the other complainants," said police detective Helen Mahon-Stroud.
"Finding out they had done this to other girls left me with more anger that I wanted to fight for justice even harder," Anna said.
"It also reminded me that it wasn't my fault and I wasn't alone," Sarah told Newshub.
Their fight for justice has been unreasonably long. It has been five long years since the horrific night and the names of their offenders have finally been exposed.
"The lengthy process and time taken just to get into the courtroom felt a great lack of compassion towards all the victims," Sarah said.
Mahon-Stroud was the detective who liaised with and supported all of the complainants through years of delays, anxiety and trauma.
"At times I felt that I had 30 daughters," Mahon-Stroud said,
Thirty young women who brought an end to the depravity of the two predators.
"I wouldn't say closure, because I don't think this is going to leave them for a long time," Mahon-Stroud said.
"It might impact me for the rest of my life. Learning to trust men again and feel safe. Anxiety. PTSD. Constantly angry," said Anna.
Many of the more than 30 complainants had not guilty verdicts. It was hard for the Crown to prove who spiked the drink, which in turn was hard to take for some of the women, but others were still pleased they came forward.
"They felt empowered that they were able to come to court in support of the other complainants," Mahon-Stroud told Newshub.
"We wouldn't have had anywhere near as much influence without other women having the courage to come forward as well. The power comes from everyone involved," Sarah said.
Power the pair want all women in their position to remember.
"It doesn't matter how much you have had to drink, what you decide to wear, where you are, who you were with or if you cannot remember. Tell somebody you can trust. You shouldn't have done anything differently, none of it is your fault and you are not alone," Sarah said.
A sisterhood of complainants bringing the Jaz brothers to justice.
If you have witnessed or experienced sexual harassment or assault and would like to speak to someone, you could call the HELP support service.
Auckland: (09) 623 1700 or visit helpauckland.org.nz
Wellington: (04) 801 6655 or visit wellingtonhelp.org.nz
