Page 26 - The Staunch Test

THE STAUNCH TEST

The British TV series Broadchurch (2017, Series 3), starring Olivia Colman and
David Tennant, tackled the rape of a middle-aged woman (rather than the usual
young beauty) and showed an unusually sensitive handling of the enquiry. Yet
despite the makers consulting carefully before making the show, it received
strong criticism from some viewers for being unrealistic in the sympathetic

treatment the victim received from the police. Some complained the series was
misleading and idealistic as it failed to reflect the reality of how women are
treated when they report rape. Did it paint too rosy a picture of how a victim
might be supported and how determinedly suspects would be investigated,
prosecuted and potentially convicted? The series gets a Staunch Test Debate
rating because its handling and the fall out are worth discussing.

Michaela Coel in I May Destroy You

In I May Destroy You, (TV series, 2020) Michaela Coel, who writes, stars and co-
directs, explores violence, race, sexual freedom, consent, and rape. Her

protagonist drinks and takes drugs and is frequently too wasted to know what’s
happening. After the night her drink is spiked, flashbacks tell her she was raped.