Former Hey Dad! star Sarah Monahan on life after Robert Hughes’ sentencing

THE former child star who helped put Robert Hughes behind bars says there are child sex abusers still working in Australian television.

SARAH Monahan, the former Hey Dad! child star who was one of actor Robert Hughes’ child sex abuse victims, says there are still people working in the Australian television industry who are perpetrators of child sexual abuse.

Ms Monahan was the whistleblower who spurred the investigation into Mr Hughes, who played her father on the popular Australian television show and repeatedly molested her over a period of many years.

The disgraced actor was found guilty in April of 10 child sex charges and was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years and nine months jail.

Former Hey Dad! co-stars Robert Hughes and Sarah Monahan back in the 1980s.

This week is National Child Protection Week and Ms Monahan, speaking to news.com.au in her role as Bravehearts ambassador, says the guilty verdict hasn’t made it easier to move on.

“People kind of expected that once [Hughes] went to jail, that’s it and you move on,” she said. “You kind of do on some days and on other days you don’t. People expect me to say, ‘Good job, he’s in jail now’. But it really doesn’t work that way.”

The 36-year-old moved to America over a decade ago and works as an intelligence analyst for the Texas State Guard, a branch of the state’s military forces. She returned to Australia for the trial in April.

The cast of Hey Dad! From left to right: Ben Oxenbould, Julie McGregor, Sarah Monahan, Robert Hughes, Rachael Beck and Matthew Krok.

When asked if there are sexual abuse perpetrators still working in the Australian television industry, Ms Monahan didn’t skip a beat — “Yes.”

She refused to give any names but she gave a damning assessment of the entertainment industry’s treatment of children.

“The industry doesn’t care about kids. It’s like child labour,’’ she said.

“People talk about kids making shoes in the Nike factories or in sweat shops overseas but this is just as bad. These kids are working, they’re going to school, they’re making people money, it’s really not any different.”

Ms Monahan now lives in Texas with her husband. She says Australia still feels like home.

Ms Monahan says since going public, she has been inundated with people sharing their stories of sexual abuse.

“Over the last few years I’ve had hundreds of emails and messages from people saying because of me, they have had the courage to come forward,’’ she said.

“Some of them are going through court right now. That kind of makes the hard parts [of going public] worth it.”

Those “hard parts” are the accusations she came forward in the interest of her own self-promotion.

Robert Hughes on his way to court in Sydney during his trial in April this year. He was sentenced to a minimum of six years and a maximum of 10 years and 9 months.

“They will say, ‘Oh you used tobe famous and now you’re coming out saying these things to help your career. That’s what everyone thought, that I was just doing it to grab another 15 minutes of fame.

“Say if I was going to make a web series or do a bit of work at the same time I made the accusations, people are going to say you’re only doing it to get yourself publicity. I had to hold back on a lot of work.

“The few people who have spoken out about it in Hollywood, people think we’re in it to gain something.

“Once people worked out that there were a lot of girls involved and once he was arrested then people started to be a lot kinder.”

Former Hey Dad! co-stars Christopher Truswell, Simone Buchanan, Julie McGregor, Sarah Monahan (front left) and Ben Oxenbould on the set of A Current Affair. Photo: Channel 9.

Ms Monahan says she hopes more abuse victims will gain the courage over time to bring their cases to justice.

“I’m hoping that because of my case more people will take the next step,” she said.

“Before we went to court a lot of other people were watching and since we won, there’s a rumbling of more people who will start to make that step.”

It’s hoped a new social media campaign will help accelerate this momentum further.

During National Child Protection Week, Bravehearts are encouraging people to take a selfie answering the question #whoRUprotecting, write the answer on their hand and share the photo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Several Aussie celebs have already gotten involved:

#whoRUprotecting." @hettyjohnston pic.twitter.com/7d7qkIX63E

— Sarah Monahan Morris (@shrimptank) August 20, 2014

Support @BraveheartsInc White Balloon Day Sep 12 and protect the 1 in 5 Aussie kids who are abused #whoRUprotecting pic.twitter.com/vRxttAfQNe

— Nathan Little (@mrnathanlittle) August 21, 2014

#whoRuprotecting #whiteballoonday Yes I am x pic.twitter.com/RPwMawgwiF

— tracy grimshaw (@tracygrimshaw) August 20, 2014

Proud to support @bravehearts.inc #whoRUprotecting campaign aiming to end child sexual assualt. #whiteballoonday pic.twitter.com/uNCQ5KyhL9

— Brisbane Broncos (@brisbanebroncos) August 22, 2014

Bravehearts founder and CEO Hetty Johnson says 59,000 Australian children are affected by sexual assault each year.

“Child protection is everyone’s responsibility and we all have children in our lives who we love and want to protect,” she said.

“Child sexual assault is preventable but we need all adults who care to step up and take a stand.”

National Child Protection Week runs all this week, ahead of Bravehearts’ 18th annual White Balloon Day on September 12.

To find out more about National Child Protection Week visit napcan.org.au

If you or someone you know needs help contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831.