New Avenues After ‘Hill Street’

It’s hard to imagine Veronica Hamel as a victim. Not after her seven seasons as the controlled public defender Joyce Davenport on “Hill Street Blues.” And not after meeting her.

On a hot, muggy afternoon, Hamel was the epitome of cool sophistication curled up on a sofa in a huge suite at the Century Plaza Hotel. Dressed in a tailored suit, her skin was flawless and every hair was in place. Even at fortysomething, the former model looked perfect. Definitely not a victim.

But that’s what she is in her new television movie “She Said No,” airing Sunday on NBC. In the drama she plays a divorced career woman who is date raped by a successful attorney (Judd Hirsch). After he is acquitted by a hung jury, he files a multimillion-dollar slander suit against her, forcing her to face him again under cross-examination. Oscar-winner Lee Grant co-stars as Hamel’s attorney.

“This isn’t taken from a true incident,” said Hamel, as she ran her fingers through her curly hair. “But it addresses the legal system and how a rape victim is raped again through the legal system. If you were mugged, you are not cross-examined the way you are as a rape victim. Your sexual history comes in, your mode of dress.

“But that doesn’t condone or justify the act of rape. ... You are more likely to have someone rape you as a date or acquaintance rape than in a dark alley. From 1970-1980, 100,000 cases were reported. That’s epidemic proportions.”

The plight of rape victims has been close to Hamel’s heart. For the last five years, she’s been on the board of directors of Santa Monica Hospital’s Rape Treatment Center. “They are rather remarkable caring people,” she said. Hamel became involved after the rape of the wife of a man who worked on her home.

“He and his wife came home after seeing a movie and two men jumped them at the door,” Hamel said. “They tied him up and raped her in front of him. Their children were upstairs. Can you imagine this man being helpless and watching this?

“They went to the treatment center and they took care of them. When something like this happens to you, it bleeds into all your relationships.”

Through the center, Hamel met a 74-year-old rape victim. “It could happen to you, your mother, sister, wife or grandmother,” she said. “It’s tragedy and we misconstrue what the victims go through. It’s not about sex. It’s about control, domination and demeaning a human being and having total power over them.”

Hamel was not the first choice for the movie. “Originally, we conceived the woman to be a little younger or a yuppie,” said Michael O’Hara, the writer and co-executive producer. “Then Veronica’s name came into the mix and we got excited. Judd Hirsch came out of left field too. But what Judd lacks in classical good looks, he makes up in charm and personality.”

“When you knock the age up, I think you take it more seriously,” said Hamel. “That’s what is wonderful about this movie. I am a grown woman, a divorcee. I have a life. I am an open, outgoing woman who has flair and charm. Then (during the rape I am) reduced to a pleading, pathetic person.”

Hamel said filming the rape scene was a horrifying experience. “I am a woman and I know I am more vulnerable physically,” she said. “There are certain circumstances where you can’t get away. This man has got you by the throat. He is throwing you on the couch. If you want to live, you comply.”

Because of her experience with the treatment center, Hamel had O’Hara adjust certain parts of the script. “What you see her go through, from the rape to the trial, is this road that you walk on,” she said. “We didn’t deviate from it for dramatic license.”

Hamel has done very little television since “Hill St. Blues” left the air three years ago. “You may not be the first choice of (TV) producers because THill Street’ is now off,” she said.

She co-starred in two feature films -”A New Life” and “Taking Care of Business”-and she starred on Broadway in Neil Simon’s comedy “Rumors.”

“It’s showing people and myself what I can do and reaching out to do things that are not my image,” she said. “I don’t want to get locked into that.”

Hamel also has been busy developing her own projects. Hallmark Hall of Fame is producing two of her concepts. “One of the stories I made up,” she said, “and one is about my sister and my mother.”

The actress wouldn’t elaborate on the story about her family, other than to say “it’s a very human story and a lovely one. I am co-producing them and will act in one. I would love it if scripts would just come to the door so you don’t have to go through a long, grueling process. But if it goes well, there will be great satisfaction.”

“She Said No” airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on NBC.