ABSTRACT
Joseph Thompson is one of New Zealand’s worst serial rapists. During a 13-year period from 1983 to 1995, Thompson was responsible for the rape of over forty women, including girls as young as 10 years old. His typical modus operandi was to stalk his victims, and when he believed the time was right he would break into their homes and, taking a knife from the kitchen, would then rape his victims. He was also an opportunist offender and many of his rapes took place outside as the situation arose. Justice Fisher, commenting on the trial that sentenced Thompson to 30 years in prison, noted ‘It is diffi cult to think of any person who has brought more pain and misery to so many people in New Zealand’s history.’ After being arrested by the police and confessing to his crimes (including some that the police had not linked to Thompson), Thompson was given an opportunity by the police to account for his behaviour. In the video of this interview, the quietly spoken Thompson provided a detailed account of his own history of child sexual abuse and neglect. He also noted that his sexual offending was driven by a strong ‘need’ for sex, at one point describing it akin to a hungry man in search of a ‘feed’.
