Real Crime with Adam Shand

Turning the tide? Detective inspector Graham Banks

Recent arrests in Melbourne of individuals alleged to be connected to offshore organised crime bosses have raised hopes police may be turning the tide on the arson campaign that has beset Melbourne. Adam talks with Detective Inspector Graham Banks of Victoria Police’s Eclipse taskforce.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From The Desk - Sky High Violence in the Northern Territory

The Northern Territory’s homicide rate is more than five times the national rate, while communities including Alice Springs and Katherine experience extraordinary levels of assault and domestic violence. Adam Shand draws on his own experience working in Nhulunbuy more than 40 years ago to examine the role of alcohol, disadvantage and intergenerational trauma — and asks the question: after decades of interventions and promises, what has actually been proven to reduce the violence?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Waiting for Justice – Simone Patterson

For 25 years, former NSW prison officer Simone Patterson lived with the consequences of sexual harassment and assault by a male colleague. Then she decided to pursue justice — and succeeded. Simone joins Adam Shand to explain why she waited, what it took to go to court, and what finally being heard meant to her.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Daughter of the Silver Gun Rapist

In the 1970s, Peter Vaitos was one of Australia’s most notorious sexual predators, known as the “Silver Gun Rapist.” But behind the headlines, the crimes and the prison sentence was a family forced to live with what he had done. In this episode of Adam Shand, talks with Vaitos’ daughter, Stacey, about growing up with a father capable of terrible crimes, the moment she began to understand who he really was, and the impact his offending had on her life and her family. It’s a deeply personal conversation about shame, forgiveness, loyalty, anger and the difficult truth that the families of offenders can become victims too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Desk: Why do victims stay silent when the offender is powerful?

Using the allegations against convicted rapist Ralph Carr as a starting point, Adam Shand explores the hidden power imbalance at the heart of sexual abuse. Drawing on conversations with another alleged victim who feared Carr’s influence, this episode examines how authority, reputation and fear can silence victims for years—and why understanding that imbalance is essential if we want justice to prevail.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.