‘Never been more scared’: Domestic Violence victim claims A Current Affair showed up at safe house she is hiding in

The organiser of a string of rallies against male violence has claimed A Current Affair showed up at the domestic violence safe house she was hiding at.

The founder of a not-for-profit organisation that ran a string of rallies against male violence has claimed A Current Affair showed up at the domestic violence safe house she is hiding in after “nearly losing (her) life”.

What Were You Wearing founder Sarah Williams took to social media to claim A Current Affair sent a journalist and camera crew to the DV safe house she has been hiding in, calling the experience “deeply triggering”.

“Today, a journalist and camera crew showed up at the house where I’ve been hiding since I nearly lost my life to domestic violence in 2021. This is the only place I’ve ever felt safe, a house I was specifically placed in for DV protection,” Ms Williams shared on Instagram.

What Were You Wearing founder Sarah Williams took to social media to claim A Current Affair sent a journalist and camera crew to the DV safe house she has been hiding in. Picture: Instagram

She posted this to her Instagram

“I didn’t think it could get any worse – I didn’t think I could experience any more unethical journalism after a journalist already contacted my perpetrators earlier this year.”

The 23-year-old said she is a victim of domestic, family and sexual violence, and has “never been more scared for her safety” than on Tuesday.

“Today, in a single, terrifying moment, the place meant to keep me safe was taken from me,” she wrote.

“I’ve never been more scared for my safety. My right to consent was denied, with my ‘no’s’, ‘stops’ and ‘please leave’ ignored.”

Ms Williams, an Aboriginal woman, claimed the journalists and crew “didn’t care” when she repeatedly told them she didn’t feel comfortable with three non-Aboriginal people – two of them being men – “showing up at (her) home”.

“To them I wasn’t a human, I was just a story,” she wrote.

“I emphasised that you can’t just show up at a victim-survivors home, where they live, and confront them aggressively. It’s extremely unethical.”

She continued, calling it a “violation of safety and trust (she’s) fought so hard to rebuild”.

“The very act of them showing up at my home, a place meant to protect me, was a breach of my privacy and a reminder of the powerlessness I’ve endured. It retraumatised me, reopening wounds that I’ve worked tirelessly to heal.

“No survivor should ever have to relive their trauma because of unethical actions like this.”

Ms Williams organised multiple domestic violence rallies this year. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Ms Williams asked A Current Affair to “leave (her) alone” and not put her in “further danger by sharing where (she) live(s) to the public”.

People have flocked to the comments to call on A Current Affair to do better.

“This is absolutely terrifying, and people truly don’t realise how far this can take survivors back into their trauma, let alone the danger it puts them in from others,” one commented.

“Your blatant disregard for supporting victims and keeping them safe is noted!” another wrote, tagging A Current Affair.

Another accused A Current Affair of deleting their critical comments regarding the alleged incident.

The alleged incident comes just more than a month after Ms Williams organised a second string of national rallies against male violence.

At the time, she told NewsWire she was deeply concerned by the rate at which women are being killed by predominantly male violence.

According to Sherele Moody’s femicide watch 58 women have been killed this year to predominantly male violence.

“Just one (death) is more than enough, but if we keep going at this rate we’ll be doubled by the end of the year,” Ms Williams said back in July, when the figure was at 54.

“Not enough is being done.”

NewsWire has been told the address attended was the registered business address of the woman whose story they were investigating, and that nothing is going to air at this stage.

NewsWire was also told the journalists were five addresses down from the registered address.

A Nine spokesperson told NewsWire: “A Current Affair did not attend Ms Williams’ safe house or enter any property at which she is hiding.

“We approached Ms Williams on the street at a distance from the address provided on the public register as her business address.

“The address is publicly available online. Our program has a strong and determined history of telling the story of victims of domestic violence and campaigning strongly for safe spaces for victims. These accusations are unfounded.”

Originally published as ‘Never been more scared’: Domestic Violence victim claims A Current Affair showed up at safe house she is hiding in