Is Carla being persecuted?

Carla has really been through the wringer since the character was first introduced 5 years ago.  She lost her cheating husband to a car crash, lost her lover to a murderer, married the murderer and was nearly killed by him when he set fire to the factory. She became an alcoholic, fell for her best friend's husband who nearly died in the tram crash and has now been raped by a man she doesn't love but nearly married anyway. Whew!

How many more nasty things can happen to one person? David Brown at the Radio Times wonders the same thing. This isn't the first time rape has been a major storyline on Corrie. It happened to Toyah Battersby 10 years ago but she didn't remember who assaulted her at first. The culprit turned out to be an aquaintance. David Platt roughed up ex-girlfriend Tina but backed off quickly when he realized that she thought he was going to rape her.

Although this new assault happened off screen, we are in no doubt what happened. Will this be the end of Carla as she hits bottom and nearly ends her life, or will she rise from it and finally find some happiness? Mr. Brown also reckons that Carla is the best factory boss since Mike Baldwin.

Do you agree that she's the new Mike Baldwin, and/or the new Elsie Tanner? Do you think the writers are targeting Carla for all the tragedy?