Last week\u2019s episode of\u00a0Downton Abbey<\/i>\u00a0featured a controversial scene where one of the audience\u2019s favorites, chambermaid Anna Bates, was raped by a guest\u2019s valet driver.<\/p>\n
In what can has been considered one of the most graphic scenes in the show\u2019s history, Anna, portrayed by Joanne Froggatt, screams helplessly, while upstairs, oblivious spectators enjoy a moving opera performance. \u00a0The events of the attack and Anna\u2019s trauma afterward resulted in over 400 complaints to the show\u2019s media regulator, Ofcom, as news sites, blogs, and social media networks were immediately set ablaze with debate regarding the \u201cexplicit\u201d episode.<\/p>\n
Many fans and critics labeled the rape as \u201cdisturbing\u201d and \u201cinappropriate for television,\u201d while others further complained that the inclusion of that scene was used as a tactic for publicity, i.e. it\u2019s only purpose was to shock people and produce higher ratings. Some voiced that the violent depiction was an exploitation of women, suggesting that the writers were hoping Anna\u2019s abuse would translate into greater success for the show.<\/p>\n
Another displeasing aspect of the incident being discussed by viewers was that Anna was blaming herself for her rape.\u00a0 She also kept her attack to herself, save a fellow maid who she asked to bring her clothes. She begged this woman not to tell anyone, and that she herself would not be informing her husband or the authorities. Some critics stated that this, most of all, was the worst part of the episode.<\/p>\n
This particular episode received so much media attention that members of the cast and production team made public statements defending the episode. The show\u2019s writer, Julian Fellows, responded to criticism in an interview with BBC, making the following statements:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole point of the way we do things on \u201cDownton\u201d is we don\u2019t do them gratuitously. We are interested in exploring the resultant emotions and the effect these things have on people. If we\u2019d have wanted a sensational rape we could have stayed down in the kitchen with the camera during the whole thing and wrung it out.<\/p>\n
It is not us just being flashy and trying to get attention. It is definitely something that was an issue at the time and women did not have any of the recourse that they would have now. Anna is in a terrible predicament that gives us a great undercurrent that runs through our fourth season.<\/p>\n
The point of our handling is not that we\u2019re interested in sensationalizing but we\u2019re interested in exploring the mental damage and the emotional damage.\u201d<\/p>\n
The argument boils down to essentially one question: Is the depiction of rape too inappropriate to televise?<\/p>\n
In my opinion: No. \u00a0Is it shocking? Yes. Disturbing? Yes.<\/p>\n
We absolutely SHOULD be angered \u2013 not at the episode, but at the crime of rape.\u00a0 Seeing an act of sexual violence SHOULD anger all of us, and instill an urge to protect and defend the victim.<\/p>\n
Sadly rape happens at an alarming rate, every two minutes an American is sexually assaulted. The public outcry about this episode illustrates that society doesn\u2019t want sexual violence interrupting their viewing pleasure. Therefore, as terrible and uncomfortable as that scene might have been, I applaud\u00a0Downton Abbey<\/i>\u00a0for generating an international conversation about rape and sexual violence.<\/p>\n
Alison Hall<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Last week\u2019s episode of\u00a0Downton Abbey\u00a0featured a controversial scene where one of the audience\u2019s favorites, chambermaid Anna Bates, was raped by a guest\u2019s valet driver. In what can has been considered …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n