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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be utterly sickened by Bethany's coronation street storyline

23 replies

Name12345 · 01/05/2017 21:03

That's it really.
I'm watching with friends, and I feel physically sick and on the verge of tears.
Dear friends keep telling me that it's "only coronation street" but it's someone's DC that that is happening to IRL as we speak. There are surely hundreds of young women and little girls (and I assume less prevelent, young men and boys) that this is happening to.
(Could potentially feel somewhat triggered due to previous sexually abusive relationship in my teens) but AIBU to think this is more than just a soap opera and a real issue that's been widely brushed under the carpet by most normal busy, selfish, tired people?

OP posts:
ajandjjmum · 01/05/2017 21:06

I think they're doing this storyline really well. I felt sick when Nathan turned the music up - and you could feel Bethany's fear in the flower shop.

TheElephantofSurprise · 01/05/2017 21:09

I don't watch Coronation Street.
I suspect it's a storyline in which a girl is groomed for sex and prostitution? It's been going on for years.

Writerwannabe83 · 01/05/2017 21:12

I warched it last night and seeing Bethany being ushered into the bedroom by that guy and then how she was lying on the bed in some kind of frozen fear made me feel really uncomfortable, almost upset. And the look Nathan had given to her/the guy as he watched her be led into the bedroom was just sickening.

I haven't watched it tonight and I don't think I want to based on comments I've read about it Sad

AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley · 02/05/2017 02:01

YANBU to feel sick, disgusted and/or horrified. I believe that this is the effect Corrie is hoping to have on people.

However, I think it's a good idea to depict sensitive storylines in a soap. It raises awareness, and can also show the risks, the aftermath, etc.

It's hard going sometimes- I speak as a survivor of child abuse- but, IMO, necessary.

highinthesky · 02/05/2017 02:28

YANBU but there is an existing thread on this.

Watching Little Boy Blue straight after made me even worse, if it's any compensation? It was a grim evening of TV viewing.

Italiangreyhound · 02/05/2017 02:31

OP I didn't want to read and run.

I'm not a corrie fan (anymore) but I think these realistic story lines are helpful. The Archers 'domestic' abuse story highlighted for a lot of people how a husband can be controlling his wife/partner in a really abusive way.

So I hope the story line in Corrie will alert more people to abuse that can go on. But I am quite glad not to be watching it.

I remember the story line in Eastenders for Comic Relief a few years ago and that was pretty shocking a the time.

kali110 · 02/05/2017 02:50

Think the way they are doing it is fantastic. Bethany ( can't remember her name) Is highlighting this issue amazingly.

Oldsu · 02/05/2017 06:50

I was at a talk the other day, the lady giving the talk looked like an ordinary middle aged lady, the type you would see manning the till at Tesco, or picking up the grand kids from school, she might be the same age as your mum or nan just an ordinary lady that most people wouldn't give a second glance to.

She was giving a talk about modern day slavery, she told us about a 14 year old girl who met a 70 year old man, he had a dog that she liked, he would walk her to school, then she started going to his for tea, eventually they had sex, one day she went round and he had some friends with him, she was forced to have sex with all of them and of course was introduced to drugs, one day she made a phone call and got help, she is now at college and wants to be a social worker.

The lady told us that the UK is ranked 10th out of the whole world for slavery, so who was she this nondescript middle aged lady, she wasn't a social worker, she wasn't a political activist blaming the evil Tory government or on an anti immigration soap box blaming Muslims this lady wore the uniform of a Salvation Army Captain, and her job or mission was to work in the Anti slavery arm of the Sally , the young girl she spoke about was one of the hundreds of girls she and the corps help, she made a throw away comment about accompanying the police on raids as if it was an every day occurrence (well I would imagine to her it probably was but I would be scared out of my mind if I had to do that)

I didn't know how bad the situation is, I didn't know how easy it is for predators to enslave and destroy innocent young girls, now I do, she asked us to give her our email addresses if we wanted to get involved, to help, or just to understand, of course I gave her mine because I want to know more and I want to get involved.

LornaD40 · 02/05/2017 07:01

It's hard to watch but teenagers are being groomed and exploited all over the place as we speak, and it's great that they're raising awareness.

LornaD40 · 02/05/2017 07:09

And I'm not sure that it is brushed under the carpet - I think a lot of people just aren't aware it happens at all?

Soyamilkisniceintea · 02/05/2017 07:14

Gosh, I started a thread on this for the opposite reason - I caught up on Corrie yesterday and I'd heard so much in the press about how harrowing the storyline was, but it didn't impact on me at all. I'm not sure I fully understood what was going on, though!

SemiNormal · 02/05/2017 07:39

Oldsu - I had no idea the Salvation Army got involved with things like that! That's really surprised me for some reason. I guess I don't know what they do at all come to think of it.

I think it's a very important storyline and I'm glad it's provoking such reactions. It's getting people talking about it and raising awareness. Yes it is harrowing and upsetting to watch, but it needs to be to get people to pay attention.

Soyamilkisniceintea · 02/05/2017 07:44

I have to admit as well I'm still unsure when something stops being grooming and when it becomes an 'ordinary' abusive relationship. I didn't fully understand the part with the laptop either - was that orchestrated by Nathan?

Bobbybobbins · 02/05/2017 08:11

Yes laptop was orchestrated I think so she felt guilty and was more easily manipulated.

It has been horrific viewing, I have wanted to punch the TV several times.

Working in an average secondary school, this happens so much more often than I ever would have thought. Kudos to Corrie for raising this issue and showing how quickly an intelligent teenager can get sucked into this world Sad

Soyamilkisniceintea · 02/05/2017 08:20

I'll definitely have to try watching again as I must have missed a trick. It just doesn't ring at all true to me.

ajandjjmum · 02/05/2017 17:52

Have to say, I will always get a sick feeling now when I hear Gary Barlow singing 'I love my life'.

saltandvinegarcrisps1 · 02/05/2017 17:55

(Ajand - it's Robbie Williams )

Soyamilkisniceintea · 02/05/2017 17:55

Well I can understand anyone feeling sick when listening to whichever one of the two sings it!

ajandjjmum · 02/05/2017 17:56

Oops Grin

saltandvinegarcrisps1 · 02/05/2017 19:20

Soya - I cringe when I hear it ( but I lurvs Gary Barlow). FWIW, I think they are doing the Bethany story well so far - no major dramatics like you usually get in soaps.

EB123 · 02/05/2017 19:52

I am finding it very upsetting. I think they are doing a really good job, it has been slowly building over the last few months and even though I knew it was coming I still find it shocking. The girl who plays Bethany is doing a great job and the man who plays Nathan too, he makes my skin crawl.

Parents and teenagers both watch Corrie so I think it is a good platform to highlight this on, showing how it can happen.

Sparklingbrook · 02/05/2017 19:54

I don't think the acting is very good at all and I am finding it hard to believe in the storyline in that respect.

Soyamilkisniceintea · 02/05/2017 19:54

I think it's a watershed problem maybe, by the scripts are very wooden and unrealistic.

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