Why must depictions of rape on TV always prioritise mens' feelings?

[Networkon]

I know why, of course, but Christ it's annoying.

In Emmerdale we have Victoria, who has been raped, and the whole storyline centres not around her and her emotions, but on how bloody awful the whole thing is for her brother Robert. The poor lad.

And I'm also rewatching Downton Abbey and Anna is raped in one episode. Do we see how awful things are for Anna? No. The main victim is her husband.

And thinking about it, in Game of Thrones, when Sansa is raped, it focuses upon how this affects Theon.

I'm sure there are many other examples too. It really pisses me off. The double whammy of watching Emmerdale & Downton Abbey tonight has really hammered it home how little women are valued. Rape is entertainment, and the victims are men.

Unbelievable on Netflix is a hard watch but worth it, and that focuses on the unravelling of the victims lives. Danielle MacDonalds character is particularly well written.

Because this is a patriarchy but I agree 100% it's absolutely maddening

Was just about to say Unbelievable as well. It’s mainly women characters and investigators, and it’s a true story. And yes it is quite unbelievable sadly.

Clearly it's because women are just the chattels of men, so rape is a violation of some man's property.

Frustrating isn't it.

Because (mostly male) writers use it as a plot device to move their story line focussed on male characters along. The women are only their as supporting roles to the importance of the men.