Former child star urges abuse victims to come forward

Sarah Monahan, the on-screen daughter and abuse victim of former 'Hey Dad!' star Robert Hughes (pictured), says people need to speak up about 'unspeakable acts'. Photo / Getty Images

Former child television star Sarah Monahan has paid tribute to the women who came forward to give evidence against Rolf Harris, but says others in the entertainment industry, including in Australia, are yet to face justice.

The on-screen daughter and abuse victim of former Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes says that, while there had been a shift in attitudes in recent years, there was still "a ways to go" in terms of people speaking out against celebrity perpetrators of sex crimes.

Ms Monahan has urged others to speak out against their abusers in the wake of Harris being found guilty of indecently assaulting four girls in the UK, including his daughter's childhood friend.

"I know there's several people in Australia who are wondering whether to speak up about others in the industry. You don't have to go public like I did, but please go to the police," Ms Monahan wrote on her website today.

"Let's keep speaking up about these unspeakable acts. Let's teach these predators that they are no longer untouchable."

Harris will be sentenced on Friday but Justice Nigel Sweeney has already made clear the 84-year-old can expect to go to jail.

The entertainer is the second person to be convicted under Operation Yewtree established in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex scandal.

Publicist Max Clifford was sentenced to eight years' jail in May after being found guilty of eight indecent assaults against four young women.

Ms Monahan said the likes of Savile, Harris and Hughes had all thought they were "above the law".

"When I went public four years ago, it was still taboo to point the finger at a celebrity for having committed a sex crime," she said.

"People before me had tried and failed. Some named their perpetrators, and nothing was done, others came out and said something had happened, but didn't dare name the people involved. All of us experienced a public backlash. You'd think the victims were the perpetrators by some of the reactions.

"Hopefully this last few years of people speaking up, and these people finally being caught out and made to pay for their crimes will have the effect of making people realise they can't get away with this s***, and they will think twice before hurting a kid."

Ms Monahan also paid tribute to Harris' victims for having the courage to come forward.

"So congratulations to today's winners, the girls in the Rolf Harris case. Not just the few who managed to get charges," she wrote.

Hughes was sentenced in May to a maximum of 10 years and nine months, with a non-parole period of six years, for the sexual and indecent assault of four young girls.

- AAP