The NDA Files

Susan MacRae is a survivor of child sexual abuse by her father. She signed an NDA when she came “of age” and had legal capacity. She has since become a fierce advocate for NDA legislation to ban their use in cases of child abuse, as well as adults. Susan co-founded The Restitution Project in 2023 with Sherri Thompson to campaign against NDAs and lobby politicians in her home province of British Columbia and elsewhere.Susan has also continued to try to find ways to challenge her NDA in the courts. Most recently, she challenged her father’s will - which did not include her - only to be told by the court that her NDA compensation was, in effect, her “inheritance” and that an NDA outlives the person who made it.What is the way forward when the Canadian courts continue to uphold and endorse NDAs?

Elizabeth Phillips is an inspirational activist working to stop the use of NDAs to silence survivors of child sexual abuse. Her brother Trey Carlock died by suicide after living with an NDA as an adult following sexual abuse at Kanakuk Kamps, part of a global network of Christian youth camps. In memory of her brother, Elizabeth led the passage of Trey’s Law in Texas, Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana, prohibiting the misuse of NDAs against sexual abuse survivors in civil settlements. Versions of Trey’s Law have since been introduced in nine other states and jurisdictions, including the U.S. Congress and Alberta, Canada. The Trey's Law movement has achieved a remarkable level of bipartisan support in the US. Elizabeth has also come out as a survivor of adult sexual abuse and many of these laws, including Alberta, protect adults as well as children from sexual abuse and assault.Elizabeth also works on statute of limitations reform which places yet another roadblock in front of survivors seeking justice. She is also a certified crime victim advocate, working directly with survivors of abuse.Learn more about Trey’s Law: https://treyslaw.org/ See where Trey’s Law has passed: https://treyslaw.org/what-we-do/legislative-reform/Join the Trey’s Law Community: https://community.treyslaw.org/ Read about Trey’s Law’s progress in the U.S. Congress: https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-hosts-roundtable-on-treys-law-to-protect-child-sexual-abuse-survivors

Kim Shore is a former gymnast who co-founded Gymnasts for Change, campaigning for an end to abuse in gymnastics in Canada and internationally. Kim was among many individuals and sports organizations - including Hockey Canada, Canada Soccer and Gymnastics Canada - who testified before the Heritage Committee when it investigated abuse in sports 2023-24. The Committee produced the following report:Safe Sport in Canada : Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, June 2024In its final recommendation, the report recommends that the Government of Canada legislate to ban the use of NDAs for athletes who have reported maltreatment and require NSOs (national sports organizations) that receive federal funding to abide by this ban. No legislation has yet been introduced.For More Information Visit:https://www.cantbuymysilence.com/the-nda-files

In this episode, Esther Hwang, a violinist and member of the LOVUS String Quartet, and Lusiana Lukman, a pianist, composer and director of the Classical Music Conservatory, join Julie for a conversation about their personal experiences of sexual assault inside the music industry by trusted and prestigious musicians, and the dismissive approach taken when they reported the assaults to management. Why are sexual assaults - often followed by NDAs - so commonplace within the music industry?