WARNING: This article discusses child sexual assault and may be distressing.

A woman who has accused her father of raping and sexually assaulting her during her childhood described urinating under a mat in her bedroom to avoid leaving her room to use the toilet and seeing him.

She said the alleged abuse that started when she was as young as 4 became so regular that she began to think 鈥渢his is how he shows me what love is鈥�.

The man, who has interim name suppression, appeared at the Christchurch District Court on Monday for the beginning of his trial which is set to last eight days.

He faces four charges of rape, seven of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and two of sexual conduct with a child under 12 years of age, alleged to have happened from 1993 to 2004. He strongly denies the alleged offending.

Prosecutor Cameron Stuart outlined the Crown鈥檚 case to the jury on Monday, stating the alleged abuse happened regularly and started when the two complainants, now adults, were as young as 4.

He said when the first complainant, the man鈥檚 daughter, grew up and had a daughter of her own, she finally went to the police to report what had allegedly happened to her.

Stuart said her younger cousin, the second complainant, was 鈥渋n disbelief鈥� when she heard about what the man鈥檚 daughter had alleged because of her 鈥渙wn similar experience鈥� and she also went to the police.

On Monday the woman鈥檚 interview with police was played to the jury when she reported her father for the alleged assault when she was aged 4 to 13.

The man appeared at the Christchurch District Court before a jury and Judge David Ruth on sexual assault and rape charges. Photo / George Heard

The woman, who had four other siblings, described a sunny afternoon when she was about 4 playing in the garden with her siblings when her father called her inside to put a hat on.

She recalled being pulled to the ground and having her father pull her undies off underneath her dress and pulling his own pants down before touching her inappropriately.

The woman cried as she told the interviewer she tried to crawl towards the door, but her father wouldn鈥檛 release his 鈥渉ard grip鈥� on her.

鈥淚 was trying so hard to get away, I just wanted him to stop but he was holding me, telling me to be quiet.鈥�

The woman said the alleged assault only stopped when her mother pulled up the driveway and she thought to herself 鈥淚鈥檝e been saved鈥�. She said her father then got up and acted like nothing had happened.

The woman also described the children being sent to their rooms for afternoon naps but said her father would take her into his room for her nap and allegedly rape her.

She described staying at her Nana鈥檚 house, a place she called her 鈥渟afe space鈥� as she was very close to her.

The woman sobbed as she told the interviewer about her father allegedly raping her on her Nana鈥檚 bed.

鈥淚鈥檇 just lay there motionless鈥�.

鈥淎s I got older, I knew it was coming. I didn鈥檛 fight it, I鈥檇 just do what he told me and then he鈥檇 leave me alone,鈥� she told the interviewer.

The woman also spoke about her father standing in front of a mirror at her Nana鈥檚 house, so he was looking at himself and allegedly making her perform a sexual act on him. The woman thought she might have been 9 at the time.

鈥淗e always had one rule and that was no kissing on the mouth, he always said that鈥檚 the rule,鈥� she said.

She told the interviewer about going to a motel with her parents and allegedly being raped by her father while her mother was having a shower, despite her 鈥渂egging him to stop鈥�.

The final memory the woman spoke about was when she was 13 and shaving her legs for the first time.

She said her father came into the bathroom while she was in there and started rubbing her legs, telling her she was a 鈥渂ig girl鈥�.

She alleged he then raped her on the bathmat and told her that would be the last time.

鈥淚 remember thinking 鈥榟ad I done something wrong?鈥欌€�

鈥淚 used to think to myself, this is how he loves me, this is how he shows me what love is,鈥� she told the interviewer.

The woman compared the alleged assaults to a 鈥渂usiness deal鈥� stating once it was finished her father would get up and put his clothes on, tell her to put her clothes on and then leave.

The woman said she used to urinate under a mat in her bedroom, which then began to smell, as she was terrified of her father finding her awake if she were to get up to use the toilet.

The man鈥檚 lawyer Kerryn Beaton KC reminded the jury that while they may be shocked to hear what her client is accused of, they must keep an open mind as they are just allegations at this stage.

The jury will hear from a number of witnesses, including members of the man鈥檚 family and friends who were the first to hear about the alleged abuse.

The trial, before a jury and Judge David Ruth, continues.

SEXUAL HARM

Where to get help:
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact confidentially, any time 24/7:
鈥� Call 0800 044 334
鈥� Text 4334
鈥� Email support@safetotalk.nz
鈥� For more info or to web chat visit
Alternatively contact your local police station -
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.

Emily Moorhouse is a Christchurch-based Open Justice journalist at 九一星空无限. She joined 九一星空无限 in 2022. Before that, she was at the Christchurch Star.

This story was originally published on the Herald,