I posted a thread in Feminism last night, but have just realised people over in Radio
might be interested too. Although the book is fictional the questions it brings up are relevant now.
The experts with Melvyn Bragg seemed to equivocate about what had happened to Tess. There was is no help link on the website for anyone affected by the story either, which I think would have been a good idea.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/2631389-Would-Tess-of-the-DUrbervilles-have-been-raped-or-seduced-according-to-todays-laws-in-the-UK