MeToo victims plead for ABC’s word on secrecy

Sex assault survivors who shared their stories with Tracey Spicer are ­demanding assurances their details have not been disclosed.

Tracey Spicer is under scrutiny over an upcoming ABC documentary on sexual harassment. Picture: Rohan Thomson

Sexual assault and domestic violence survivors who shared their stories with Tracey Spicer are ­demanding personal assurances that the details of their experiences have not been disclosed to any third parties — including film and production crews.

A privacy breach in which the names of three women were ­exposed in a preview version of an upcoming ABC documentary involving Spicer has created panic among the 2000 victims who have shared their details with the #MeToo campaigner. Many are concerned that, even if their name was not visible in the program, they could still be identified by the contents of their disclosures, and want the ABC to confirm vision showing Spicer reading messages from victims has been removed.

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A former journalist and editor said she shared the details of a serious sexual incident she suffered at the hands of a high-profile Australian with Spicer during conversations via phone, email and text over several months after the former newsreader appealed for ­victims to come forward in 2017.

Given her standing in the media industry and the prominence of her attacker, she said she feared she was easily identifiable, would be subject to industry gossip, and that she had not given permission for her details to be seen by anyone — including production staff and film crews.

“Tracey was very keen for me to publicly share my story because she believed the man involved was responsible for many similar ­assaults,” the woman said.

“At no time have I given anyone permission to share my story and, on the contrary, I repeatedly refused to go public, though I did offer to support Tracey with testimony about my case should she find others willing to talk on the ­record and find herself legally challenged. I also gave her the names of witnesses to my assault.”

The woman has written to the ABC’s head of disputes and litigation, Grant McAvaney, describing the scandal as the worst breach of ethics and privacy she has ­encountered in her 20 years in the media, and demanded to know who had seen the contents of ­messages. “I have tried through various channels to find out whether my story is included in your documentary series to no avail and, while I believe I am not named, I cannot discover whether any details of my story have been shared in a way that others will recognise,” she wrote in an email to Mr McAvaney last Thursday.

“Can you please guarantee to me in writing that nothing about my story, or any details I have disclosed during phone conversations, messages or emails with Tracey and her team, are included in the documentary series or have been in any other way disclosed?

“This whole episode has made me extremely anxious. I am particularly concerned that anything about my story will signal to my ­attacker that I have spoken about it — we continue to cross paths professionally and this would have a significant impact on me both professionally and personally.”

While Mr McAvaney acknowledged the receipt of the email and promised to fully respond “as soon as possible”, it is understood he has yet to provide assurances.

Her letter followed revelations last week that the identities of three women were exposed in a preview version of the three-part Silent No More documentary.

Spicer has said she was “gutted” by the mistake.

A spokesman for the ABC said: “The ABC and producer Southern Pictures wish to reiterate that no names or details of anyone who has suffered sexual abuse or harassment will be broadcast in Silent No More without their explicit consent.”