Abuse survivor wants John Middleditch sculpture removed from Dunedin Hospital

Warning: This story deals with child sexual abuse.

A woman who alleges she was sexually abused as a child by a well-known New Zealand artist wants one of his sculptures removed from Dunedin Hospital.

The grandmother - who does not want to be named - has asked Te Whatu Ora Southern to not move John Middleditch's 1980 Water Sculpture to the new hospital.

In 2012 she requested the then-Southern District Health Board remove the large water feature, but when she told the art advisor Middleditch had been convicted of assaults on children in the 1970s, the woman was told she had no proof.

"My complaints and requests were ignored."

In December, supported by her ACC sensitive claims case manager, the woman made a formal complaint to police that Middleditch sexually abused her when she was 11 in 1972.

Police have confirmed to RNZ that Middleditch was convicted in an unrelated case in December 1976 of indecently assaulting a girl aged between 12 and 16 and of other indecent assault.

The woman also found newspaper reports in the Otago Daily Times from the same month that show Middleditch was convicted of seven charges of indecently assaulting girls aged between eight and 11, and one of attempting to indecently assault a girl.

Those assaults took place over a five month period while the girls were attending art classes at Middleditch's home, the report stated.

Despite noting Middleditch was renown in the community, the article was buried on the court page at a time when the self-employed sculptor was writing art reviews for the paper.

The court took sympathy on Middleditch after his lawyer argued he had not physically harmed any of the girls, and that he suffered "a medical problem", which the magistrate said helped explain how "this had all come about".

According to the report, through his lawyer Middleditch expressed regret to the court and the public, but the woman pointed out he never apologised to his victims.

The magistrate noted such offending "committed by people in a position of trust with young children" usually carried a prison sentence, but said because of Middleditch's age and "state of health" a fine was more appropriate.

The then 70-year-old was fined $800 and ordered to pay $40 in court costs before continuing his career as an internationally-recognised sculptor and artist.

The Dunedin Hospital water fountain was commissioned soon after and installed in 1980, and in 1982 Middleditch was one of two recipients of a New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts Award ahead of more than 200 other artists.

Another of his sculptures made in 1969 is on display at the University of Otago.

The woman said she was unaware of Middleditch's convictions until her early 30s around the time she made an ACC claim and had counselling, and she only found the newspaper articles after searching the Hocken Library in Dunedin recently.

She said Middleditch, who died in 1987 in Hastings, ruined her life.

The woman was a student at Tahuna Normal Intermediate School when her teacher Robin Bain invited Middleditch to the classroom to select a pupil to take part in children's art classes at his home, she said.

"He (Middleditch) started asking me to come early to classes and come to his home for extra tuition and that was when he started grooming me.

"And then there were two specific occasions of serious assault. It was definitely sexual assault."

When Middleditch selected her for extra art classes she jumped at the chance.

"I idolised him. Art was my life. For a kid in my circumstances this opportunity... meant everything to me."

The woman said it was no secret she had a difficult home life.

"It was devastating because I thought I'd been chosen for my talent and I wasn't. I was chosen for my vulnerability and to be exploited.

"That was the start of some terrible impacts that have lasted my entire life."

The woman was first confronted with the hospital artwork after returning to Dunedin in 2012 to care for her disabled brother who had a terminal illness.

"It was such a huge shock and just having to steel myself every time going into the hospital and knowing there was this man who was being celebrated even though I'd told the DHB about his convictions."

She hoped that by going public with her story, other victims would come forward.

"It's not a huge ask to stop celebrating people as the city's favourite sons - in his case, he's one of them - when the reality is something quite different."

She wanted the art destroyed or sold and the proceeds used toward sexual abuse prevention.

The woman said police had indicated they may not have the resources to investigate whether Middleditch had other victims because he was dead.

"But I'm still alive. I get that there is very limited resource and I would certainly call on the police nationally to give more priority to this work," she said.

"It's really important and it shouldn't just be about saying 'Well sorry they're dead, nothing more we can do'.

"If people knew how hard it was to even name this stuff - it's so hard, particularly when it's the pillars of society that are conducting the abuse and who feel very safe that they're not going to be exposed."

Middleditch's art sold as recently as 2023 and his work had been exhibited widely in New Zealand and overseas, and was held in public galleries and private collections in the United States, France, West Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

In a response to the woman, Te Whatu Ora Southern operations group director Hamish Brown said Health New Zealand appreciated her feedback and understood the concerns raised about the background of the artist.

"Please be assured we are carefully reviewing the matter and will respond to you in due course."

After RNZ contacted HealthNZ for comment, Brown's personal assistant made contact with the woman and arranged a meeting.

In a statement, Brown said it would be inappropriate to comment before the meeting.

National survivor advocate Louise Nicholas said it saddened her to hear the situation.

"Te Whatu Ora absolutely need to acknowledge the harm this person committed back in 1976 against those children, and listen to survivors because it does bring back their trauma and so they have to do the right thing by the survivors."

She thanked the woman for speaking out.

Nicholas said some people treated indecent assault on a child as if it was not serious but it falls under section 132 of the Crimes Act - sexual conduct with a child under 12 - and included doing an indecent act on a child.

"What if that indecent act happened to your child? Do you think 'Oh well it wasn't much'? Regardless of the type of sexual crime the impact is huge."

She said many child survivors of sexual abuse in the 1970s and 80s never spoke out for decades because children were "to be seen and not heard".

Nicholas believed there would be other victims of Middleditch who probably didn't realise the extent of his art.

She said all of Middleditch's public works should be removed.

University of Otago Registrar David Clark confirmed a 1969 sculpture of Middleditch's was situated on the Dunedin campus.

He said the university was "grateful for this matter being brought to our attention".

"We are looking into whether the university has other artworks by this artist. We will take this matter under careful consideration."

Where to get help:

• Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
• Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202.
• Samaritans: 0800 726 666.
• Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz.
• What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds.
• Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English.
• Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254.
• Healthline: 0800 611 116.
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155.
• OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Sexual Violence

• NZ Police.
• Victim Support 0800 842 846.
• Rape Crisis: 0800 88 33 00.
• Rape Prevention Education.
• Empowerment Trust.
• HELP (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655.
• Safe to talk: 0800 044 334.
• Tautoko Tāne Male Survivors Aotearoa.
• Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) 022 344 0496.

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