She created "Brat Camp". It was a show where teenagers were sent to various treatment programs, so they could become better people. If you forget the world famoush glamour model with connections in the soccer world the results were very mixed. One participant died shortly after he turned 18 of a drug overdose.
When the concept was sold the result was even more tragic. ABC Family purchased the concept where teenagers were sent to Sagewalk. It made the parents believe that wilderness therapy was safe. In 2009 Sagewalk closed after at 16 year old boy died in the program.
The kind of television she created was dangerous. She and the managers who pushed her hard failed to see that teenagers carry a social heritage. And this social heritage should be respected. You cannot coach, teach or provide any kind of therapy which can push a teenager past the potential they are given by birth in a special social class.
Teenagers return broken in spirit as result of therapy which are inflicted upon them without their consent.
Years later it was Sarah Mulvey who need treatment. She entered Causeway Retreat. Here she was failed just as much as the teenagers she made victims in the TV-shows.
It is not justice or payback, it is just sad.
Sources:
- Father of C4's Sarah Mulvey claims treatment centre let her down (The Guardian)
- Channel 4 executive Sarah Mulvey 'overdosed after bullying' (The Telegraph)
- Sergey Blashchishen - 2009 (Today a child died memorial blog)