Rape scenes on TV/in the movies

What does it say about our Western society that a zombie thread that is 15 years old about upsetting onscreen depictions of rape is MORE relevant today than ever.

In my view, the constant and relentless stream of rape scenes in films and tv is an outcome of male script writers and directors looking for the next outrageous attention grabbing SL but which conveniently fulfils their misogynist fetishises. Ever since watching Breaking the Waves (I don’t recommend it), I've thought that Lars von Trier must really hate women. I also believe that tsunami of graphic rape scenes normalises rape and in some cases implants the seed of intent in the mind of men watching them.

Some men do not possess empathy and are incredibly suggestible making them capable of doing anything they’ve seen onscreen. More than these scenes being upsetting, I firmly believe that they are dangerous for women.

I could be wrong (and I cba googling it) but I thought I Spit on Your Grave was banned because it gave the impression the woman enjoyed being raped?

What does it do to the actresses?

I know this is a zombie thread but it reminded me of reading this review recently

https://archive.ph/5FOQK

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/scarpetta-amazon-prime-video-review/

I've seen reviews for it on other platforms where it gets more than 2 stars (I didn't read them), I'm not tempted to watch it.

The violence and gratuitous nudity put me off watching GoT. I meant to get round to seeing it eventually but finding out the ending was considered a disappointment stopped me from wanting to put the hours in.

I thoroughly recommend the X rated or banned I Spit on Your Grave.

Gang rape victim takes bloody revenge.
Also Handgun, Kill Bill and Promising Young Woman.

Weirdly enough, DH and I have been re-watching Game of Thrones and HE commented to me that he found a particular scene really horrible and upsetting because women were being raped in the background. (Bad elements of the Nights Watch at Crasters Keep, series 4)

He didn't like how trivialised and minimised it was. I took it as the broader point that in this world, rape was constant, and constantly trivialised.

In some scenes there's the implication that the woman starts to yield, succumb, enjoy it in some way (some Clint Eastwood film, Straw dogs).

Confusing to watch when I was younger. Turns my stomach now.

I think it's part of an unconscious process of intimdation.

They put in those violent scenes to remind us not to feel safe.

They know that women are the majority of cinema goers, so why else are they putting in scenes they know the majority of their target group don't like?

I don't watch them either, I just can't. Elephants, you're probably right that it's easier for men to watch because they don't identify with the threat in the same way. Although we've been watching The Tudors (I know, terribly high brow and terribly realistic ) and the other day there was a scene of marital rape. DH got quite upset about it, whereas he watches the executions and torture with complete passivity.

I think it's normal to be "averse" to watching this stuff. And TBH I think a lot of women are averse to it. (lots aren't of course). It pisses me off that it feels like many/most of the supposedly great directors direct such hyper-violent stuff. Body count of dozens, women being sexually intimidated if not actually raped etc. But I wonder if maybe it's easier for men to watch this stuff, because few of them feel the daily fear of attack when walking down the street?

Absolutley can't watch rape scenes in film or on tv
I either leave the room or don't even start to watch the film if i know what's in it.
Similarly with most violence/horror.
DH thinks it's a bit weird to be quite so averse and i don't know why i am.
But i am.

I hate to see rape/ sexual assult scenes on TV but agree with stewiegriffinsmom about Sons of Anarchy, not just because the rape itself wasn't glamorised, it showed how horrifing the aftermath can be and how gemma struggled and eventually recovered.

Totally opposite to the rape scene in Halloween (Rob Zombie version) totally unnecessary, gratutious and horrifing. Made me sick to watch it.

Yes that is how I feel nannyslate. If it is portrayed as really awful, and there for a reason, as it seems to be in thisisengland, then that's one thing. If it's there for a spot of titillation - in the way that a standard sex scene used to be - and is not relevant to the story - and is shot in a way which is code for "sexy" - then that's a really bad thing IMO. And it's everywhere now.

I finally got 'round to watching This is England 86 last week. I found the rape scene (where Lolly's dad rapes her mate) unbearable to watch. I flushed hot and started shaking. It was so real.

I found myself asking just that: was it necessary?

I think it was. It made horrible, horrible viewing, but it showed rape for what it is: vile, violent, tied up with power issues - a truly base act, that is all about negating, diminishing, humiliating the victim. There was nothing remotely glamorous or sexy about it. It was very powerful.

However, in general, rape and other violent acts against women seem to be depicted all the time on TV and in film, almost always as entertainment. I find it sickening, to be honest, and deeply worrying.

I get really annoyed actually, as I love cop shows/detective shows/that type of thing. I used to love CSI but the "naked dead woman being lovingly washed down while the camera lingers on her body" shots are just getting silly. The presentation of a female body to ogle, and it doesn't make any difference whether she's alive or dead, is just really dodgy. Note the male corpses are not given this treatment.

The worst is a program called criminal minds where the plot is nearly always exactly the same - women and children are apparently the only victims of really nasty serial killers and it is necessary to show as many terrified women and (usually female) children as possible. They are invariably sexually attacked and murdered. I usually have to switch over. But it's annoying, why don't they vary the plot? Is there really such a huge appetite out there for the abuse of women and children as entertainment? Apparently so

I want to watch these progs so keep going back but it's always the same. CSI used to be good FGS.

I think it would be more harmful to women not to show brutal rape if it is a feature of the plot/narrative.

I think that a lot of people underestimate the violence of rape. And it can be talked about more as 'sex you wish you hadn't had' rather than as a serious violent assault.

I thought the one in the film of Girl with the dragon tatoo was done well. It was terribly uncomfortable to watch but that was the point.

I agree ISNT.
As DH said the other day while watching one of those CSI type programmes 'Fine pair of tits for a brutally mutilated dead chick'

Sardonically obviously, before you all think I married a monster.

I am not sure how the response "if you don't like it switch it off" answers the question posed in the OP TBH.

Nor how one is supposed to avoid programs which contain rape scenes if there is rarely any warning given.

I can't watch anything like that on the TV, always switch off, never go and see a film if it contains rape (have never seen the accused for eg, recorded all of this is england but decided not to watch it when I realised what it contained).

The problem I am finding is that where sexual violence used to be rare in films and on TV, and would be mentioned in the reviews etc, that it has become much more prevalent. So many films and TV programs seem to have rape thrown in gratuitously, and it's so common that no-one thinks to mention it, which means I am really often caught unawares by scenes of this type.

I think that if progs contain violence or sexual violence it should be made very clear indeed.

It also bothers me the loving way that scenes of violence against women and dead female bodies are depicted in so many programs.

Does anyone rememeber the rape scene in The Sopranos? When Dr Melfi got raped by a stranger in a car park. That was difficult to watch also. You were really made aware of the physical pain of it.

I've never seen a rape scene done well (haven't seen This is England).

I remember the commentary on the Accused was all about how well the rape scene was done, but I came out thinking it was jsut about titillation. The reason being, was that the rape scene was all done from an outsider's pov - you saw the men and the woman from above. You didn't see it from the woman's pov. It struck me very forcibly and I wondered how come all the newspapers, magazines, radio etc. had all commented on how sensitively and well done it was, when a crass 20 year old like me could see that it was shit.