ABC has apologised after a preview episode of Tracey Spicer doco Silent No More, surrounding the #metoo response, has identified victims of rape.
A joint investigation conducted by news.com.au and BuzzFeed News has found that the preview available to media has included disclosures received by Spicer regarding rape, harassment and domestic violence, without the consent of women named.
The victims – whose names and faces also appear – had no knowledge of the documentary’s existence, or that Spicer had shared their confidential disclosures with a film crew, until contacted.
“This is the first I’ve heard about the documentary” one woman said.
“I didn’t consent to [my name] being on the screen. Tracey didn’t ask me.”
Another woman said, “I sent a private DM [direct message] to an individual woman, I didn’t expect my comments to end up in a documentary.
“I didn’t consent and she hasn’t told me she would use my information in this way.
“Other people have seen it now. I don’t know who they are. It’s a breach of trust. It’s not professional, it’s unethical.”
A third woman, who has since died, was also identified by name.
ABC STATEMENT
Due to human error, an early version of Silent No More was provided to a small number of accredited media under embargo. This early version had not yet had names and details of three women blurred in shots of a computer screen. Significant steps were taken to de-identify names and details in the broadcast version and it has always been our intention that these names and details be blurred before broadcast. The ABC sincerely apologises for any harm or upset this has caused them or their families. We removed the program from our media portal as soon as we became aware of the error. The welfare of those who have suffered sexual abuse or harassment is of utmost importance to the ABC and we wish to assure them that Silent No More will treat these issues with respect and care while shining a light on the need for positive change in this area.
SOUTHERN PICTURES STATEMENT
We are devastated by this error and apologise for any distress this has caused. An interim version of the program provided to the ABC blurred most but not all the names and details of people who shared their stories with Tracey. We wish to assure everyone that the final version of the program will not identify anyone without their explicit consent, which was always our intention. Our first priority is our duty of care to those impacted by sexual harassment and #MeToo, along with supporting the work that is being done to address the issue of sexual harassment.
TRACEY SPICER STATEMENT
As a participant in this documentary, I was assured survivors’ identities would be fully protected. I am utterly gutted about what has occurred. I apologise deeply and unreservedly to those whose names were visible in that initial version of the program. I’m relieved that the ABC has swiftly moved to take it down and that no one is identified in the broadcast version.
She…didn’t get their consent…in a doco on rape, harassment, and domestic assault? Didn’t get their consent. It’s just unbelievable. The lack of blurring of their identities is a secondary issue – equally incomprehensible how this could ever have occurred. But to not have enough basic human respect for these women to ask for their consent in the first place to use the footage, and/or their stories…. It’s a bit more than ‘an error’. You can’t just take that from them and use it for your own means, blurred, de-identified, or otherwise, in this case. Where is the consideration for these victims? Nowhere. I’m stunned.
It’s bad enough that the ABC/production company released the preview without all of the privacy issues covered, but it is gobsmacking that Spicer passed on such confidential information in the first place (by virtue of the fact that it was presented on screens in view of the filming cameras), even if there were an undertaking by the producers to blur that info in the doco. If they were to be blurred, then fictional names and images could easily have instead been used for filming purposes – just in case. That Spicer would release apparently confidential information to third parties is astonishing (ABC/Prod company). If she were a company/corporation (amongst others) for the purposes of the doco, the info release could possibly be a breach of the Privacy Act (protected information rules). Notwithstanding, I wouldn’t mind betting that egal beagles have an interest in talking to the…
This is just bad in so many levels, Tracey should not have started investigating matters that clearly should be within the Police realm.
It seems she’s conducted a witch hunt and seemed to just be fishing for social media validation – she regularly promoted huge numbers of women coming forward but in reality we’ve seen two major allegations tested in court. With one outcome still to conclude, this current climate where everything seems to be a race to victimhood must end surely after this monumental stuff up. If people have allegations please go to the police, not a journalist! I feel like Tracey overcooked this all from the start and in the rush to label all men as some sort of monster, she ends up with a result like this, ill-informed and fast losing credibility
… having spent most of my working life in television production and broadcast, I can’t even comprehend how such stupidity can happen. If people have been promised that their details would be “blurred” then no material should have even left the edit suite without that blurring having taken place let alone the entire program distributed in that way to journalists. Total incompetence from all concerned.
CJ, I too have worked in film and TV production for several decades. It’s a fundamental pre-production step to have participants (whether on-camera or via their words) give permission/clearance for that to happen. The fact this wasn’t even sought goes beyond incompetence. It’s completely unacceptable and abhorrent.
“….producers devastated as doco identifies rape victims”
So the producers did not review the final cut of the documentary then?
“The victims – whose names and faces also appear – had no knowledge of the documentary’s existence, or that Spicer had shared their confidential disclosures with a film crew, until contacted.”
Wow, so Ms Spicer was sharing the personal and confidential information to others? Hmmm there is a lot to unpack here
The ABC has sunk to such low levels of late and is out of control. We as tax payers pay over a billion dollars and we seem to get nothing but incompetence. I think it’s about time it’s sold and they have to compete in the real world.
This is why the police should be investigating these claims not journalists.
Male celebrities have the careers ruined in an instant because of an “allegation” that has been made and made public.
people who are naming the victims the and who are naming the accuser should be held accountable for any damages sustained by either party during the investigation because details (name’s etc) were leaked.
It is up to a judge or jury to find a person guilty or innocent. not the media.
When poor Maggie Kirkpatrick was accused of sexual assaulting a young fan decades ago the media used footage of her as her character in Prisoner to paint Maggie as an evil person.
Spicer, the ABC and any production company and crew should be held liable for exposing these victims.
The media, including TV Tonight, should stop posting stories of a Male celebrity being “questioned” or…
It sounds like this series is not naming alleged perpetrators. To your point, you would note a story this past week which was not reported until it reached court.
12 Responses
Simply terrible for the victims to go through this. I can’t see Tracey Spicer’s reputation ever recovering from this, and rightly so.
She…didn’t get their consent…in a doco on rape, harassment, and domestic assault? Didn’t get their consent. It’s just unbelievable. The lack of blurring of their identities is a secondary issue – equally incomprehensible how this could ever have occurred. But to not have enough basic human respect for these women to ask for their consent in the first place to use the footage, and/or their stories…. It’s a bit more than ‘an error’. You can’t just take that from them and use it for your own means, blurred, de-identified, or otherwise, in this case. Where is the consideration for these victims? Nowhere. I’m stunned.
It’s bad enough that the ABC/production company released the preview without all of the privacy issues covered, but it is gobsmacking that Spicer passed on such confidential information in the first place (by virtue of the fact that it was presented on screens in view of the filming cameras), even if there were an undertaking by the producers to blur that info in the doco. If they were to be blurred, then fictional names and images could easily have instead been used for filming purposes – just in case. That Spicer would release apparently confidential information to third parties is astonishing (ABC/Prod company). If she were a company/corporation (amongst others) for the purposes of the doco, the info release could possibly be a breach of the Privacy Act (protected information rules). Notwithstanding, I wouldn’t mind betting that egal beagles have an interest in talking to the…
Absolutely reprehensible, so disappointed with this slip up
This is just bad in so many levels, Tracey should not have started investigating matters that clearly should be within the Police realm.
It seems she’s conducted a witch hunt and seemed to just be fishing for social media validation – she regularly promoted huge numbers of women coming forward but in reality we’ve seen two major allegations tested in court. With one outcome still to conclude, this current climate where everything seems to be a race to victimhood must end surely after this monumental stuff up. If people have allegations please go to the police, not a journalist! I feel like Tracey overcooked this all from the start and in the rush to label all men as some sort of monster, she ends up with a result like this, ill-informed and fast losing credibility
… having spent most of my working life in television production and broadcast, I can’t even comprehend how such stupidity can happen. If people have been promised that their details would be “blurred” then no material should have even left the edit suite without that blurring having taken place let alone the entire program distributed in that way to journalists. Total incompetence from all concerned.
CJ, I too have worked in film and TV production for several decades. It’s a fundamental pre-production step to have participants (whether on-camera or via their words) give permission/clearance for that to happen. The fact this wasn’t even sought goes beyond incompetence. It’s completely unacceptable and abhorrent.
“….producers devastated as doco identifies rape victims”
So the producers did not review the final cut of the documentary then?
“The victims – whose names and faces also appear – had no knowledge of the documentary’s existence, or that Spicer had shared their confidential disclosures with a film crew, until contacted.”
Wow, so Ms Spicer was sharing the personal and confidential information to others? Hmmm there is a lot to unpack here
legal action against the abc , is anyone in control at the abc or is it just a free for all sell it and save taxpayers money
The ABC has sunk to such low levels of late and is out of control. We as tax payers pay over a billion dollars and we seem to get nothing but incompetence. I think it’s about time it’s sold and they have to compete in the real world.
This is why the police should be investigating these claims not journalists.
Male celebrities have the careers ruined in an instant because of an “allegation” that has been made and made public.
people who are naming the victims the and who are naming the accuser should be held accountable for any damages sustained by either party during the investigation because details (name’s etc) were leaked.
It is up to a judge or jury to find a person guilty or innocent. not the media.
When poor Maggie Kirkpatrick was accused of sexual assaulting a young fan decades ago the media used footage of her as her character in Prisoner to paint Maggie as an evil person.
Spicer, the ABC and any production company and crew should be held liable for exposing these victims.
The media, including TV Tonight, should stop posting stories of a Male celebrity being “questioned” or…
It sounds like this series is not naming alleged perpetrators. To your point, you would note a story this past week which was not reported until it reached court.