Ofcom has dismissed over 200 complaints about the David and Josh male rape storyline on Coronation Street.
An Ofcom spokesperson said: “This storyline tackled a sensitive and challenging subject, which we appreciate was uncomfortable viewing for some. However, we considered that ITV took extensive steps to ensure it was handled sensitively and carefully. These included working closely with a victim support group, and repeatedly signposting the help available to anyone affected by sexual violence.
“We also considered that, although the offender’s violent intentions were clearly implied, the scenes were neither explicit nor graphic. Finally, we took into account that clear warnings were broadcast before both episodes.”
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People actually complained about this? great, now I hope they will support the victims, who had to actually endure the graphic rape.
ReplyDeleteThe issue here is context. It would as though on a children's show someone was blown up by terrorists and then a helpline number given at the end for kids who might have been affected. For sixty years this has been a soap opera that the whole family watched together as entertainment shortly after supper. Are we now a society where crime and other people's trauma is entertainment? Wouldn't these types of topics be better explored on documentaries?
ReplyDeleteMaricha:
DeleteCorrie is a soap opera about the lives of people of all ages living on a street.As such, I don't object to gritty life events happening to them but to the piling on of one tragedy after the other on only one family.
It's the nature of soap operas that both the good and the bad of the characters' lives will be used as "entertainment".
The show has featured people being chronically drunk, murdered in cold blood,their children having children, bigamy, adultery,dying of cancer, etc. so it may be family viewing but it's always required an adult to explain the more serious issues to younger viewers.
This isn't even the first rape storyline and Carla's was more jarring in that we knew both characters yet I don't recall anyone complaining about that.
I do wish the Platts had a breather before this storyline started but it's being portrayed as well as possible so Ofcom made the right decision about those complaints.
The main problem with modern Corrie is the time slot. All the topics are acceptable - sometimes the acting and writing are questionable but that's an entirely different matter. They move Corrie for football so the time slot is not seen as an ancient tradition which can't be tampered with. Is it to do with the advertisers? One option would be to make Friday night, for example, a one-hour slot from 8.30 - 9.30 and leave it to the producer to decide which scenes/storylines fit with a late evening audience.
ReplyDeleteBut do you think it is not a topic worth raising? Never in 58 years of history in Corrie that we saw a male rape storyline. I think it was high time that we had it. Also, they never showed it, so that is what I am objecting to this complaining. You did not see the graphic details. We all need to know about this and start talking, especially about what we can do about it.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with the storyline, it needed to be shown. My problem is that David was the victim. Therefore another heavy storyline involving Gail and her family. I have never been a fan of David or Gail so it is hard for me to sympathize. I find the character of Gail incredibly tiresome and sadly David is a very unlikeable young man. I really wish for the sake of his children he reaches out and gets the help he so desperately needs.
ReplyDelete