Betty Christian
Encyclopedia
Betty Christian is the Communications Officer and Island Secretary of the Pitcairn Islands
. Appointed by the colonial Governor, the Island Secretary is an ex officio member of the Island Council
, the legislative body of Britain
's last remaining Pacific
colony
. She previously served as an elected member of the Council in 1990 and 1993.
Christian has publicly broken ranks with most of her fellow-Pitcairners over the appeal
to the verdicts rendered in the Pitcairn sexual assault trial of 2004
, in which six of seven defendants were convicted on various charges of rape
, indecent assault
, and pedophilia
. With the public support of most of the island's women, including some of the alleged victims, the six are appealing their sentences, claiming that according to Polynesian culture
, sexual activity at a young age is regarded as normal, and that they were not aware that such acts were illegal under British law. They are also challenging the applicability of British law to Pitcairn, saying that their ancestors had effectively renounced their British citizenship by committing an act of treason
(the burning of the HMS Bounty
), and that the islands were never lawfully incorporated into the British Empire
.
Testifying in the Pitcairn Supreme Court
in Papakura
, New Zealand
, specially constituted for the trial with New Zealand
judges, Christian rejected the claims of the defendants that, saying that islanders were well educated, well travelled, and well aware of what was legal and what was not. She also maintained that the islanders had always considered themselves British, and that the territory's status as a British dependency had never been challenged until then-Mayor Steve Christian
- then a defendant facing rape charges (of which he was later convicted) - raised the matter at a United Nations
decolonization conference. (The charges against him had not been made public at the time).
Christian dismissed the reasoning of Adrian Cook, defence lawyer for the accused, that as the persons responsible for the 1789 Mutiny on the Bounty
never legally married their Tahiti
an companions, their children were illegitimate and assumed the nationality of their mothers. Until recent time, the islanders had never emphasized the Polynesian side of their heritage, she said. She also contradicted the defence that underage sex in Pitcairn society has always been regarded as normal, saying that the community has traditionally followed values no different from any other modern society.
Betty Christian is a sixth-generation Pitcairner. She was educated at Pulau School on Pitcairn, and subsequently studied meteorology
and radio telegraphy and telephony. She joined the island's communications staff in 1963, and succeeded her husband, Tom Christian (whom she married in May 1966) as Communications Officer in November 2000. The couple have four daughters, all living abroad, and two grandsons.
Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands , officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, form a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Pacific...
. Appointed by the colonial Governor, the Island Secretary is an ex officio member of the Island Council
Island Council (Pitcairn)
The Island Council is the legislative body of the Pitcairn Islands. It also doubles as the court of the British dependency, making it one of the few bodies in the world to possess both legislative and judicial authority.The Council has ten members...
, the legislative body of Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's last remaining Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
. She previously served as an elected member of the Council in 1990 and 1993.
Christian has publicly broken ranks with most of her fellow-Pitcairners over the appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
to the verdicts rendered in the Pitcairn sexual assault trial of 2004
Pitcairn sexual assault trial of 2004
On 30 September 2004, seven men living on Pitcairn Island , went on trial facing 55 charges relating to sexual offences. On 24 October, all but one of the defendants were found guilty on at least some of the charges they faced...
, in which six of seven defendants were convicted on various charges of rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, indecent assault
Indecent assault
Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in many jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime.Indecent assault was an offence in England and Wales under sections 14 and 15 the Sexual Offences Act 1956...
, and pedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
. With the public support of most of the island's women, including some of the alleged victims, the six are appealing their sentences, claiming that according to Polynesian culture
Polynesian culture
Polynesian culture refers to the indigenous peoples' culture of Polynesia who share common traits in language, customs and society. Chronologically, the development of Polynesian culture can be divided into four different historical eras:...
, sexual activity at a young age is regarded as normal, and that they were not aware that such acts were illegal under British law. They are also challenging the applicability of British law to Pitcairn, saying that their ancestors had effectively renounced their British citizenship by committing an act of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
(the burning of the HMS Bounty
HMS Bounty
HMS Bounty , famous as the scene of the Mutiny on the Bounty on 28 April 1789, was originally a three-masted cargo ship, the Bethia, purchased by the British Admiralty, then modified and commissioned as His Majesty's Armed Vessel the...
), and that the islands were never lawfully incorporated into the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
.
Testifying in the Pitcairn Supreme Court
Supreme Court (Pitcairn)
The Supreme Court of the Pitcairn Islands was a special court set up to try the Pitcairn sexual assault trial of 2004. As the Pitcairns have a minimal population they have never had an extensive formal legal system...
in Papakura
Papakura
The Papakura District was the name of a local council territory in New Zealand's Auckland Region that existed from 1989 until 2010. The area made up the southernmost part of the Auckland metropolitan area....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, specially constituted for the trial with New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
judges, Christian rejected the claims of the defendants that, saying that islanders were well educated, well travelled, and well aware of what was legal and what was not. She also maintained that the islanders had always considered themselves British, and that the territory's status as a British dependency had never been challenged until then-Mayor Steve Christian
Steve Christian
Steven Raymond Christian is a political figure from the Pacific territory of the Pitcairn Islands.-Mayor:...
- then a defendant facing rape charges (of which he was later convicted) - raised the matter at a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
decolonization conference. (The charges against him had not been made public at the time).
Christian dismissed the reasoning of Adrian Cook, defence lawyer for the accused, that as the persons responsible for the 1789 Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty
The mutiny on the Bounty was a mutiny that occurred aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Bounty on 28 April 1789, and has been commemorated by several books, films, and popular songs, many of which take considerable liberties with the facts. The mutiny was led by Fletcher Christian against the...
never legally married their Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
an companions, their children were illegitimate and assumed the nationality of their mothers. Until recent time, the islanders had never emphasized the Polynesian side of their heritage, she said. She also contradicted the defence that underage sex in Pitcairn society has always been regarded as normal, saying that the community has traditionally followed values no different from any other modern society.
Betty Christian is a sixth-generation Pitcairner. She was educated at Pulau School on Pitcairn, and subsequently studied meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
and radio telegraphy and telephony. She joined the island's communications staff in 1963, and succeeded her husband, Tom Christian (whom she married in May 1966) as Communications Officer in November 2000. The couple have four daughters, all living abroad, and two grandsons.