To think rape scenes are unnecissary?

[BeeRayKay]

Okay,

AIBU to think TV programmes rely on rape/violence against women too much to make it "grim"?

Like in so many of these shows that are about ancient rome or what ever (Atlantis or something?) there are always rape scenes (or at least seem to be whenever I turn them on) and now in my favourite t.v show at the moment, in the clip of the next episode they show one of the women being raped....

I just think its...unneeded. I don't want to see depicted rape scenes in every t.v show I turn on. And it annoys me that so many shows rely on it as a story line when there are plenty of other avenues they could go down?

It definitely depends on the scene. Agree with many that the rape scenes on Game of Thrones are gratuitous and not needed, particularly when these scenes sit right next to scenes involving lots of important men talking importantly, while a naked women walks around. Even though the rapes are horrible, they are portrayed within the same episode as beautiful, semi-nude women being sexy and acting as little more than human props, which IMO is a big no-no. There is rape in the books, but nowhere near the amount as shown on screen and that is a huge fuck up on the part of the writers and directors as far as I'm concerned.

The rape of Anna in Downton Abbey was very well done on the other hand, as it was largely behind closed doors. Although I can't be sure her rape wasn't part of a storyline for her onscreen husband; definitely agree that rape should not be used on TV and film in order to progress the character of a man.

I think you do have a point OP, some shows do rely on rape scenes much too much and/or portray them terribly on screen.

YABU.

It's real life. It happens. If programmes are going to reflect real life then it would make sense for it to be shown. We don't need a world in which rape is washed out as though it doesn't exist. If it's on TV it provokes thought, discussion.

You could use the same thought process as yours about murder. But you'll happily watch murder?

DarthVadersTailoryou're right about other gratuitous uses of violence etc.

When I say I don't mind sex or violence in programming, I suppose I mean sex (or violence) between equals. Wherever there's a power imbalance in the violence (big variation in physical size, political/economic power etc) it haunts me. A fistfight between two equally matched people? Fine. Sex between two equally matched people? Fine.

But rape scenes are like scenes involving violence against children... I rarely come across a storyline where it's truly necessary, or handled with sensitivity, or anything except awful...

Sigh, I don't know how to explain myself. I'll bumble back to my corner now!

GladysTheGolem
The rape in England '86 actually caused me to be physically sick. I was watching the series with DH and I was really affected by that scene, I was sat there one minute and then all of a sudden I had to run to the bathroom, head straight down the loo! It really did upset me, it was the whole manipulation of the young girl and the position he put her in, it had me in tears. I couldn't get that out of my head for ages.
I think it can be positive to show rape on TV because, as PPs have already said it can give someone the courage to speak up but I agree it most definitely has to be handful in the correct way.

handled not handful

Well we may as well just wipe away the film industry then because that's exactly what they are, everything is about titillation. They don't owe us anything, they don't owe us a realistic portrayal. Everything is false, fake and over dramatised.

The rape in this is England shocked me to the core and made me feel sick. Which is the response scenes of rape should get, but people often don't want to have those feelings evoked and it causes problems with censorship, so scenes are changed, scenes are made less realistic.

To be honest I've no problem watching graphic scenes on TV/film. As another poster says the things we watch are meant to reflect real life to some extent and it can be just as valid as bad language, violence of all sorts, criminality, sexual content of any kind.....obviously it's all subjective as to what the individual finds appropriate to themselves but personally i don't mind at all. Even if it is something upsetting to watch and twangs an emotional thread inside then it provokes thought and has a purpose, which to me is valuable.

Yanbu.

Fortitude?

Some shows will have some of it in because of the nature of the show- Law&Order SVU for example obviously will have references and scenes of it though it crops up in programs often handled badly, especially the aftermath.

It completely depends on the programme and how its done. I think its important in a way. It unfortunately happens and to ignore the issue would be worse.