TV sex abuse to be exposed
FORMER TV child star Sarah Monahan has warned widespread revelations of sexual abuse and bullying in Australian entertainment will soon expose the industry’s upper echelons with former Logie winners among the accused.
In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal that continues to rock Hollywood, Monahan believes it is only a matter of time before local perpetrators of sexual abuse will be named publicly, including several household names.
“Some of these people have been in television for like 40 years and they are going to be outed,” said Monahan, a survivor of child abuse at the hands of her Hey Dad television father Robert Hughes.
“They are hosts of TV shows, hosts of award shows, Logie Award winners, people who are massive household names that everyone will instantly recognise and who people love that will be named and shamed.
“The floodgates are definitely about to open here in Australia.”
Monahan was the prime witness in the case against Hughes that led to his imprison- ment for child sex offences that dated back to the 1980s after the High Court threw out his final appeal.
“A lot of victims are still too scared to speak because they think that they will never work again,” said Monahan, an ambassador for bullying app SeeSayDo Something.
“Hopefully the Weinstein stuff is the catalyst to start the ball rolling here.”
Veteran television journalist Tracey Spicer launched an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse, bullying and assault locally in the wake of the scandal regarding the Hollywood heavyweight producer, determined to expose those she claims have perpetrated indecent acts on colleagues.
US-based Monahan has met with Spicer in Australia to share information.
“The casting couch has been around since TV started,” Monahan said. “It isn’t accept- able but it happens. I think a lot of people are attracted to the industry because they know that up and coming people are pretty willing to do almost anything to be famous so if you are a producer or say you are a producer, you are able to do what you want and it is not OK.”
Monahan, who was six when she auditioned for her role on Hey Dad, warned parents to be more diligent with their children.