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“Back then, speaking up was still taboo”

"When I spoke up about my dealings on the set of Hey Dad..! ....11 years ago now, there wasn’t a movement yet," says Sarah Monahan.

Former Hey Dad! star Sarah Monahan (pictured front left) has reflected on speaking out on abuse she suffered on the set of the Seven sitcom.

In 2010 when Robert Hughes was named by A Current Affair -before police charges had been laid- it was a very risky move. Monahan’s first interview on the abuse was to Woman’s Day.

Writing a piece to news.com.au she says, “When I spoke up about my dealings on the set of Hey Dad..! back in March of 2010, 11 years ago now, there wasn’t a movement yet. There were other victims, but we weren’t allowed to talk to each other. We couldn’t console each other and provide support.

“Being the only public face, I was left to deal with all the scrutiny. Back then, speaking up was still taboo. It was met with suspicion. People asked what I was looking for — was it money, an extra 15 minutes of fame? It took four years to get to court and have Robert Hughes found guilty.

“During that time, the Royal Commission into Child Abuse was started. I was initially invited to give testimony there, but they didn’t want it to affect the case. Thankfully, other victims of the entertainment industry came forward, and gave their stories to be heard.

“Then the Weinstein movement happened. There was still some initial pushback, because actresses could only be accusing someone because they needed something right? But then more and more people started talking. They started to support each other. They created #MeToo, and then thousands of people started adding their stories. Now people refer to being “Weinsteined” in movies.”

You can read more here.

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